If I Am Gifted
by Anna Maxwell
Summary: It's the beginnings of Schwarz, and they've just met. They're going from Rosenkreuz to Tokyo, and it'll be hell getting there. Centers on Brad/Schu friendship. (Nagi's there too. ^_^) Now complete!
1. Rosenkreuz, A School or Hell on Earth?

Title: If I Am Gifted  
  
Authors: Anna Maxwell, Chase Yuy  
  
Rating: …….we'll say PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: Braddy and Schu don't belong to us, and the rest of the original Weiß Kreuz members don't either. All original characters do  
  
Author's notes: Yes, it's a Rosenkreuz fic. Is it like everyone else's? I have no clue, I haven't read one yet. Please read and review, it makes us happy. ^_^ And for those of you reading my fic 'A Matter of Time,' I'll be updating soon. Danke!!  
  
/indicates thought./ (We were going to use but it made our text disappear….)  
  
  
  
1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 If I speak with the eloquence of men and of angels, but have no love, I become no more than blaring brass or crashing cymbal. If I have the gift of foretelling the future and hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but the very secrets of God, and if I also have the absolute faith which can move mountains, but have no love, I amount to nothing at all. If I dispose of all that I possess, yes, even if I give my own body to be burned, but have no love, I achieve precisely nothing.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Rosenkreuz, a school or hell on earth?  
  
  
  
Schuldig walked along the halls of Rosenkreuz. His head ached like nothing else. Someone had been managing to take down his barriers and had been keeping him from rebuilding them. It was taking everything he had to make it back to his quarters. His mind was so focused on that task he didn't see the raven-haired boy before he bumped strait into him.  
  
Bradley Crawford was thrown off by the boy who had walked into him, because he hadn't seen it coming. He glared down at the flaming red hair. "Excuse me," he said mildly. He hadn't been at Rosenkreuz long, and he already disliked the entire experience.  
  
"My fault," Schuldig muttered as he stood. The motion was too quick for his aching head and he stumbled into the wall, slumping down against it. He growled something in German, golden eyes flickering in pain.  
  
/Why is he hurting?/ Brad wondered. Out loud he asked in English, "What's the matter with you?"  
  
The German boy gave him an odd look. What language was that? English? Should have paid more attention in that class...  
  
Brad sighed and shook his bangs out of his eyes and switched his question into German. "What's the matter with you?"  
  
"Nothing... Just a migraine," the younger boy muttered. /Blasted shields won't go up.../  
  
He jumped at the comment that rang through his head. /He's a telepath,/ Brad growled to himself mentally, then immediately felt stupid for *thinking* it. "See the school nurse. They have one, ne?" he said coolly.  
  
Schuldig smirked slightly. "Yes, I am telepathic. And the nurse stopped giving me anything for these a long time ago."  
  
A dark eyebrow lifted. "Why?"  
  
"Said they can't do anything about it, and that I was taking too many of stuff that was way too strong," the green haired boy said with a small smile.  
  
The bell rang, signaling first classes. Impulsively, Brad offered the younger boy a hand to help him up.  
  
"Aren't you the new kid in my first class? Sit next row to the front, right?"  
  
Brad pulled him to his feet, without thinking anything. "Yes, I am." he said.  
  
"Tell 'em I had one of my headaches and I'll get my notes later, okay? That teacher likes me. He'll understand."  
  
He nodded, not sure why. He didn't usually do things, even small things, for other people, much less nasal sounding German kids that ran into him. "I'll tell him."  
  
"Thanks," Schuldig whispered as he stood again. His head swam and he leaned against the wall.  
  
The warning bell rang, and Brad looked back at the boy before disappearing into the first class. He suddenly wished he would get a vision of what was going to happen to him and his headache. He hadn't even gotten his name. The class began.  
  
The teacher looked over the class. Where was Schuldig? Late? Not for his class. Something was wrong...  
  
Crawford stepped up to the man. "There's a student who asked me to tell you he'd get his notes later. He had a headache."  
  
"Schuldig?"  
  
Crawford shrugged indifferently as he took his seat. "I didn't get his name."  
  
"Has to be him. Where did you see him?"  
  
"In the hall."  
  
The teacher's eyes darkened with worry. "Show me. These headaches of his have been getting worse and worse the past couple of weeks."  
  
Brad put his bag down under his desk and went back out into the hall, the teacher on his heels. /His name is Schuldig./ Brad catalogued. "He was over there," he told the man.  
  
The older man looked to see a still form resting against the wall a ways down. "Schu..."  
  
/The guilty one./ The American translated. He followed the teacher over to where the young boy was sitting.  
  
His face was paler than usual, his breathing heavy. Two golden eyes slid open and focused. "Herr Connor," he whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it to class..."  
  
Herr Connor smiled and scooped him up. "I'm sure the others will be grateful that I'm late for the class," he said with a smile.  
  
"Why won't they give him anything if he hurts that bad?" Brad asked, unsure if he should follow them or not.  
  
"Because his barriers have been knocked down and voices come flooding in. Medicine can't help that. He was taking stuff that was far to strong for him."  
  
"They put me out of it at least," the young German muttered.  
  
"What can help him?" the oracle asked.  
  
"Rest and allowing him to rebuild his barriers. Are you returning to class now or would you like to help?"  
  
"I can't help him." Crawford said slowly. He didn't know if he could or not, or even if he wanted to.  
  
By now the young German had slumped into Herr Connor's arms. "I'm sure you could be of some assistance."  
  
"If he wishes it."  
  
/I don't care,/ the quiet thought entered his mind.  
  
Brad nearly jumped again. This boy made him edgy. "I'll come with you, then." This *telepath* made him impulsive.  
  
The young boy groaned. This was not how he wanted to start the day....  
  
Images of a tall man dressed in mostly black except for a red shirt, no, red tie...beating...something, no, someone..., no...Brad shook his head and mumbled something in Japanese. This whole place was putting him on edge.  
  
"You all right?" Herr Connor asked.  
  
Crawford looked up, startled. "Me?"  
  
"You're precog aren't you? What did you see?"  
  
He eyed the man, uncertain of what to say. No one ever cared about what he saw, unless it had to do with him or her and his or her happiness. "Just...nothing really. Flashes of a man." Brad shrugged.  
  
"Tell me later."  
  
Herr Connor entered a small room with Brad close behind him. He lay the small German down on the bed and grabbed the ever-present aspirin from the stand.  
  
The nurse entered the room almost immediately. "That is not going to do anything." She said. Her voice was cold and harsh, and not very nurse like. "Herr Geheim said that boy was a nuisance." she added, distastefully.  
  
The ill boy looked away, ignoring the comment. He didn't care.  
  
/Geheim? Doesn't that mean dark?/ Crawford wondered.  
  
The nurse pushed past him and got in Herr Conner's face. "You can't shelter the boy. He needs to build his own defenses."  
  
"There's something the matter. Schuldig is very talented in his gift. This isn't just happening," the tall man responded.  
  
The nurse sneered down at the boy. "He's probably doing it to himself."  
  
"That isn't true." Crawford protested softly.  
  
All eyes in the room turned to him. "What do you mean?" Herr Connor asked gently.  
  
Brad paled. He wasn't sure, he just knew...The man in the images..."No one would bring that kind of pain on themselves. And no one can fake pain that well," he offered.  
  
Herr Connor smiled. He liked the boy. It was time that someone had a kinder spirit there at Rosenkruez. The nurse scoffed.  
  
"He could, and the brat would. I'll leave you to your own devices, but I warned you. Herr Geheim will have that boy disciplined." she stressed the last word before vanishing out of sight.  
  
Schuldig looked up at the two others. "In other words he'll beat the crap out of me," he muttered.  
  
"Does he wear black and red?" Brad asked off handedly.  
  
"Yeah, why?" the German responded.  
  
/Shimatta./ Brad shrugged. "Just wondering."  
  
Schuldig relaxed as his barriers went into place. He took his chance to poke into the older boy's mind, trying to quench his curiosity over the question.  
  
Brad glared at him. "I'll only give you another headache." he warned.  
  
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry... Curious, that's all."  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat, ne?" Brad retorted.  
  
"Satisfaction brought it back."  
  
Brad blinked at him. "You have to be kidding..."  
  
"You've never heard that?"  
  
"Apparently they don't make the same jokes where I come from."  
  
The German smirked. "You could just answer the question and it would be a lot easier. Herr Connor said you were precog. Precogs have a reason for random questions as far as I've seen."  
  
"I prefer the term clairvoyant, and if I wanted you to know I'd tell you. You don't even know what my name is." Brad said sharply.  
  
"Bradley Crawford."  
  
This was getting too much for the usually loner Brad. "Stay out of my head." he growled. "I'll be in class."  
  
Schuldig smiled weakly. Herr Connor frowned. "Don't toy with the new student's heads."  
  
Brad stalked down the hall back towards the classroom. Who did that idiot think he was? Prying into his mind as if he had all the invitation in the world. He would have to work on his own barriers.  
  
By lunch time Schuldig had found the strength to get to his afternoon classes. He was lost in thoughts of earlier that morning and bumped into someone. "Crawford! What a surprise bumping into you!"  
  
The taller boy glared at him, and moved passed him to his locker. "I hope your head has improved.," he said flatly.  
  
"Yup. No more headaches for quite a while hopefully."  
  
Crawford said and thought nothing as he pulled the required books out for his next subject. He looked up when all the other students in the hall stiffened and stood straight.  
  
Herr Geheim walked down the hall and stopped before them. "Hello there, Schuldig. I see you're feeling well enough to talk to a friend," he growled.  
  
Brad fought the impulse to run. This man was tall...and had an aura of total power around him. He looked at Schuldig.  
  
"I had another headache," the smaller boy answered. "Excuse me, but my next class starts soon." As the German started to turn away, Herr Geheim grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him up roughly.  
  
As soon as Herr Geheim touched Schuldig, Brad sucked in his breath and his mind was taken over by a vision. He was being restrained by someone...no, something and in front of him, Herr Geheim was beating on a boy...no..no it couldn't be..it was Schuldig..and he was beating him mentally too. Herr Geheim was telepathic as well, and who knows what else.  
  
Brad lashed out, striking the man in the upper arm. "Let him go! I started the conversation." he said quickly.  
  
Herr Geheim backhanded the young man, using telekinetic powers, sending him flying. He then turned his attention back to the teenage German, keeping a small part of his mind on the American as well.  
  
Crawford let go of the books he was holding on impact and leaned against the wall in shock. As soon as he regained some of his senses, an intense hatred swelled inside him against the man. He growled something and headed back towards him.  
  
Schuldig felt the pain from earlier return, much stronger this time. The pain spread to his entire body as he collided with the ground with a hard force. His golden eyes looked up.  
  
Herr Geheim sneered over him. "You think I'd believe anything you say, *Schuldig*?" He grabbed the boy up by the collar again. "You know what I'm going to do with you?" Crawford charged at him from behind.  
  
A physical barrier was put up between the clairvoyant and the teacher. What was this man? /You don't want to make an enemy of him, Braddy,/ Schuldig told him silently. /It could cost you your life./  
  
The blue eyes darted from German to teacher, trying to find a weakness in the barrier. He severely disliked not being in control, and this man provoked a sense of evil. Brad found the weak spot.  
  
/Don't call me that,/ he added.  
  
/Don't call you wha-/ The thought was cut off as Schuldig found the teacher's boot in his ribcage. Apparently he'd been talking and disliked being ignored.  
  
Brad pushed through the weak spot and landed a swift roundhouse kick to Herr Geheim's neck. It didn't even faze the man, and Brad found himself being lifted by an invisible force, and began choking.  
  
/Brad!/ Schuldig yelped mentally. "He didn't do anything!" the boy yelled. "Leave him alone!"  
  
A smile curved over Crawford's lips even as he choked. /You're a telepath, too, aren't you, Herr Geheim? Am I too much for you? A boy such as I? Go ahead. Choke me to death. I dare you./ Brad thought.  
  
/YOU IDIOT!! DON'T DARE HIM! HE'S GOT THE AUTHORITY TO-/ Crawford didn't hear him finish the thought as the German was thrown in to the wall and silenced.  
  
Crawford cringed as Schuldig hit the wall, but soon found himself thrown to the floor, choke hold released. He looked up at the older man. /Coward./ He sneered.  
  
Herr Geheim smiled coldly. "Your time will come. Take care of him, Mr. Crawford, you'll need him later."  
  
Crawford looked over to the younger boy her was slumped against the wall, head against his chest and greenish-blond bangs falling over the restraining headband. A small bit of blood found its way down his face.  
  
As the power hungry man walked away, Crawford picked himself over and knelt by Schuldig. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently tipped the boy's head up to wipe the blood away. "Hey, you. Wake up. Daijoubu?" he murmured.  
  
Schuldig winced and his golden orbs fluttered open. He seemed to focus on something behind the young American. Crawford turned to see Herr Connor standing there. "What happened?"  
  
"Schuldig was kind enough to introduce me to Herr Geheim." Crawford replied, still wiping blood from a cut on the German's forehead.  
  
Herr Connor's shoulders slumped and he sighed. He knelt down next to the two boys and looked at Schuldig. "How bad are you hurt?"  
  
"I'm fine," the boy answered with a reassuring smile.  
  
Brad stood, leaving the cloth in Schuldig's hand. He turned a pointed gaze on Herr Conner. "Would he actually kill one of the students?"  
  
"Of course. Obviously you haven't heard the horror stories of Rosenkruez."  
  
"I come from America. They sugarcoat everything there. Apparently I've made his 'students to kill' list, ne? What horror stories?"  
  
"The ones about the kids that aren't good enough to make it out," the German responded. He struggled to his feet and then gasped as he held his ribs, muttering some colorful metaphors in German.  
  
"You lied," Connor said. "You told me you were okay."  
  
"I didn't particularly lie... I got off pretty well..."  
  
Connor sighed. "Crawford, go to the nurse's room and ask for Amy. Tell her to go to Jack Connor's room, ne? She'll actually help, unlike the rest of them."  
  
"As you wish." Crawford said. He took the German's arm and led him down the hall. Schuldig tried to push the edges of his mind a bit, and was instantly blocked. "Why aren't you thinking anything?" he pouted.  
  
"I am. I'm just doing it where you can't hear." Brad replied shortly. "Just because I stood up for you, don't expect a free look into my head."  
  
On a different floor of the building,  
  
Herr Geheim sat down and straitened his tie. "I'm sorry for the delay, Ms. Takashima. Why are you here?"  
  
The young woman smiled delicately. "Mr. Takatori would like me to spend some time here developing my leadership skills by being a teacher."  
  
The telepath pouted slightly. "You're such a spoilsport, Braddy," he responded light heartedly.  
  
"Didn't I tell you *not* to call me that?" Brad growled. They finally made it to the nurse's office. "He said to ask for Amy." Brad reminded him.  
  
"Ja. So ask for her," Schuldig said as he leaned on the wall next to the door, apparently not planning to enter.  
  
"Unh-uh. You're going in. I'm going back to class." Brad said firmly. "This is my second week here. I don't know how I managed to escape you before."  
  
"I'm not going in there!" the young German stated. "You think I want an other beating?"  
  
"He said Amy was nicer than the others. You have to get that cut looked at. If you don't, it's going to get infected." the oracle snapped.  
  
"So go get her and bring her out here. They hate me in there."  
  
/Am I going to have to everything for him?/ Crawford wondered. "Fine." He disappeared inside the office.  
  
Schuldig slumped against the wall. It wasn't his head that was the problem; for once it was his ribs. He'd forgotten how powerful the man was....  
  
Crawford sighed when he saw that there was no one in the office. He rang the bell and hoped somebody showed up soon. A young woman came around the cubicle.  
  
"Hello there," she said sweetly. "May I help you?"  
  
Crawford pointed to the hall. "His name is Schuldig. He needs medical attention." he said simply.  
  
"Schu?" the woman asked worriedly. She started for the hallway.  
  
/This guy's like Monopoly. They either love him or hate him./ Brad thought dryly. "I have to go back to class." he said absently.  
  
The young woman -Amy- nodded. "Does Jack know?" She paused. "Herr Connor," she corrected.  
  
"Yes. He sent him here." Brad told her.  
  
"Okay, if you could, please tell him on your way back that I'll tend to Schu," she said as she exited. She saw the young boy slumped against the wall. "Hey, there Schu. Get in trouble again?"  
  
He looked up and his dulled eyes brightened slightly. "Ja. Just a little."  
  
Brad gave the green-brown haired boy one last look before taking off down the hall. He could still catch two classes today, if he was lucky and didn't run into Herr Geheim again.  
  
"I'd say it was a lot more than a little trouble, my young friend," Amy responded. "What'd he do to you?"  
  
"I think he cracked a rib," he whispered truthfully.  
  
She sighed. "As soon as Jack gets here, I'm going to have him move you to his room Geheim can't hurt you if you're there."  
  
  
  
The young American slipped into his advanced English class just as the warning bell stopped ringing. He was the last student there, but at least he made it. A young woman was leaning against the desk. "Now that we're all here, I'll introduce myself. My name is Julia Takashima. You may call me Frauline or Julia or both. I'll be your English teacher for the rest of this year."  
  
The muffled voices of the students could be heard as they discussed their new teacher. She smiled at them, but Crawford saw it was a cold smile, hidden behind a friendly mask.  
  
Her eyes met with Brad's and her smile became genuine for an instant. As soon as she looked back it returned to the careful mask. "If you'll open your books to the third chapter, we'll begin."  
  
Schuldig felt himself being laid upon the bed carefully by his teacher and friend. A cold sweat had broken across his face and he felt a cloth wipe it away. Perhaps he had been hurt worse than he imagined in the first place...  
  
As his last class dismissed for the day, Brad let out a weary sigh. Schuldig hadn't been at the last class, and he should have been. He headed for his dorm room, and Julia Takashima fell in step beside him. "You're concerned about someone, ne?" she said.  
  
He looked up at her. "Eh?"  
  
She laughed gently. "I'm an empath." she explained. "They've moved your friend, if you want to see him." she added.  
  
Jack Connor stepped outside of his room. Amy was tending to the young German, and he knew he shouldn't worry. He ran a gloved hand through his hair and sighed.  
  
"Herr Conner. It's good to see you again." Julia said as she and Brad approached. Brad wasn't sure why he followed her. He was fairly sure that being around the German boy in there was a dangerous thing.  
  
"Hello Frauline," he responded distantly. For some odd reason other empaths made him uneasy, this one in particular.  
  
"Brad here would like to see Schuldig, if that's all right." Julia said calmly. She watched her former teacher carefully. She knew he felt uneasy and she mentally shook her head.  
  
Jack Connor nodded and motioned for the boy to enter. Crawford did so to find Schuldig looking much worse than before. His face was ashen and his breathing came with difficulty. Amy glanced his way and smiled sadly.  
  
"What's wrong with him? He didn't look that bad earlier." Crawford said.  
  
Out in the hall, Julia smiled coolly at Herr Conner. "Do you know why I came back?"  
  
The young man shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't."  
  
"He had several cracked ribs and other injuries that have caused a high fever," the nurse responded. "Was that Julia out there?"  
  
Julia pushed silver bangs out of her face. "I'm here to recruit the first boy for Takatori's bodyguard team. Adrian and I aren't good enough anymore."  
  
Brad nodded. "Frauline Takashima, yes."  
  
  
  
  
  
A small cough was heard from the bed and the two telepaths outside stuck their heads in.  
  
Amy bent over the small German. "How are you feeling, Schu?"  
  
"Like crap," he answered.  
  
Julia's green eyes flickered from Brad to Schuldig. /One of them, maybe./ She thought.  
  
"Your shields again?" Brad asked.  
  
"No... I think my head's the only thing that doesn't hurt at the moment..."  
  
"You can have free pass from my classes tomorrow, if you need them." Julia said.  
  
/Thank you,/ Schuldig's voice rang in her head. He suddenly felt so tired...  
  
Brad was going to say something, but was sucked into a vision before he could get it out. It was the same as he had earlier. He was being tied down by something and he was watching Herr Geheim beating someone...  
  
Julia jumped slightly at the voice in her head. "You're telepathic," she responded with a smile, still slightly startled.  
  
She was distracted from Schuldig when she felt Brad seize up inside. He had a blank look on his face, as if he was far away.  
  
Schuldig looked over to his new friend. /Brad?/  
  
He was frozen, watching the scene play out in front of him. Inside he was screaming, and fighting for control. His visions weren't supposed to get out of control like this.  
  
Schuldig looked at him. Something was wrong. He closed his eyes, concentrating and wondered into the clairvoyant's mind. /Brad? C'mon, what's going on?/  
  
As soon as Brad's mind recognized that Schuldig was inside his head, the vision ended and Brad inhaled sharply. /Nothing./ he responded immediately.  
  
/You were spacey there for a minute.../  
  
/Sorry. Headache./  
  
/Liar./  
  
/Isn't that your job?/  
  
/Lying? I don't lie. I thought I'd made that clear./  
  
/Your name would imply otherwise./  
  
A block went up and Schuldig was gone from his mind. When Brad opened his eyes, the young German was glaring at him harshly.  
  
"It's amazing. If I didn't know he was telepathic, I'd assume they just enjoyed staring at each other. Or glaring." Julia murmured. Brad simply gazed at the younger boy. He had won.  
  
"Get out," the boy growled.  
  
Brad placed a smirk on his lips. "As you wish."  
  
"I'll walk you back to your room." Julia said. There was a dark feeling pushing on the back or her mind. It was either a storm, or Herr Geheim. The latter was more likely.  
  
Schuldig threw himself back onto the pillows in frustration. He had to bring it up... Herr Connor smiled and Amy embraced him. They knew what had happened, but the difference was, they knew the story behind it.  
  
Julia walked Crawford down the hall, taking the longer route to his room to avoid Herr Geheim. "What did you say that made him so angry?" she asked.  
  
"I told him his name made him guilty." Brad replied.  
  
Julia looked at him oddly. "I believe there was a story behind that, but Herr Connor never told it. He knows though."  
  
Brad shrugged. Julia focused for a moment. "You're disappointed he sent you away, aren't you?"  
  
"No," Brad instantly replied.  
  
"He'd make a good friend for you. Why don't you have many friends?" she asked. She looked over her shoulder. Something didn't feel right from the room they had been in.  
  
"He didn't know what he was saying," Connor stated. "He couldn't have."  
  
"I don't care," Schuldig responded. "He shouldn't have said anything."  
  
Brad snorted. "Because nobody ever cared, and I don't want them to now. My parents sent me to boarding school because they didn't want me, then sent me here so no one in their circle would find out their son was a freak. He's just like anybody else. I don't need them."  
  
Schuldig pouted slightly and looked away. He suddenly turned to the door with a slight gasp. He muttered a curse in German.  
  
"Have you ever considered that they..he..might need you?" Julia asked gently.  
  
"No." Brad said.  
  
"He might. Are you strong enough for him to need you, or you to need each other?" Brad stared at her. She stopped and looked at him. "Don't cut him and leave him bleeding, Brad."  
  
"I'm not apologizing." he replied.  
  
"Maybe not." She looked back towards Herr Conner's room and frowned.  
  
"What?" the raven-haired boy asked. A vision suddenly hit him and he understood what her worry was about.  
  
She felt the boy tense up and fear come over him. Julia muttered a curse in Japanese and broke into a run towards Conner's run.  
  
The door swung open and Schuldig scrambled back in the bed. His mind raced. He thought he was safe here...  
  
Crawford stood there, frozen in place as he watched Frauline Takashima dash down the corridor. Herr Geheim was a ruthless man. Could he make an exception and care about someone else just once? Brad decided he could and ran after her.  
  
Schuldig felt his body hit the wall with a strong force. He looked over to see Herr Connor and Amy struggling against the invisible restraints. He coughed as his eyes focused on the large man looming over him.  
  
"Thought you could get away from me, did you? Thought you could have your little precog friend save you? You were highly mistaken, Schuldig. I have plans for you." Herr Geheim spat. He temporarily released his hold, sending Schuldig crashing to the floor.  
  
The boy shuddered involuntarily. /What did I ever do to him?/ he thought angrily.  
  
"Nothing. That's the beauty of it." Herr Geheim leered. He picked the boy up by his collar and slapped him.  
  
Julia threw the door open. "What are you doing to him?" she snarled.  
  
Schuldig felt himself fall to the ground in a heap, his strength sapped from him. His golden eyes opened sluggishly and his green-blond hair fell in his face over the headband as he watched Geheim.  
  
Geheim didn't even look at the young woman. "Disciplining him." he said with a smirk. Brad appeared behind Julia and looked with horror at Schuldig. That got Geheim's interest.  
  
"I heard you were quite the loner, Mr. Crawford. What about this boy has sparked your interest?"  
  
/Get out of here, dolt, before he decides to take out his anger on you!/ Schuldig's voice rang in the clairvoyant's head,  
  
"What about him has sparked yours?" he retorted quickly.  
  
/I'll leave when I want./ he told Schuldig.  
  
Geheim faced him. "Maybe the same thing that has sparked my interest in you, boy."  
  
/You idiot! I knew you were stupid when I met you, but this crosses the lines of stupidity into insanity!/ Maybe that would make him leave....  
  
The blue eyes sparkled behind the wire frames for a moment. /No one ever said I was sane./ "Oh really? And what is that, exactly?" Brad asked Geheim.  
  
Schuldig felt himself being lifted off the ground telepathically, then hurled across the room. His tattered body offered no resistance. Apparently Geheim didn't want to him to think he was forgotten.  
  
"Defiance. I'm going to break you of it." Geheim said. He lifted Brad off the ground telepathically as he had done with Schuldig, but did not throw him. "Do you know what a psychosomatic wound is, Mr. Crawford?" he asked pleasantly.  
  
Julia gasped. "No, you can't do that!"  
  
The young man shook his head. "I'm afraid not."  
  
"It's when you think you've been mortally wounded and your body responds as such. You can bleed to death without a scratch on you. You can have sever convulsions and there's nothing really wrong, but your body doesn't know that until your dead."  
  
"He hasn't done anything! Just let him go!" Schuldig pleaded as he struggled to stand.  
  
Brad looked at the man as if he'd lost his mind. "You can't have that much mental control." he said.  
  
Julia found herself restrained like Amy and Conner. "You can't do that," she hissed. Brad suddenly had the image of a gun in his mind, and it was pointed at him.  
  
"Quit it!" Schuldig yelled. /STOP! //  
  
/I hope this counts as an apology./ Brad thought. The gun went off and his whole body seized up. Geheim dropped him to the floor. "Watch him die. And let it be a lesson." Brad lay on the ground, gasping.  
  
Schuldig stumbled over to the older boy. "Brad?" he asked, frightened. He placed a hand on his shoulder. /Brad?/  
  
The German was almost thrown back by the serge of pain that Brad's mind was. The oracle's mind was completely absorbed in the fact that he had been shot, and was severely bleeding.  
  
Schuldig focused everything he had left to entering the blue-eyed American's mind. /Brad, listen to me, you're fine. Do you hear me?/  
  
He didn't respond at all. Julia slumped to the floor. "You can't reach him. It's over." she said softly.  
  
Schuldig shook his head. He knew he was one of the strongest telepaths at the school. Raw talent, yes, but the facts remained. He KNEW he could save this boy. /BRADDY!/ 


	2. New Loyalties and Friendships

Author's Notes: We have several chapters of this written, it's what we do in our free time. ^_^ We'll upload as we get them edited, and as you guys review.  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: New Loyalties and Friendships  
  
  
  
Schuldig cradled the American in his arms and rocked back and forth.  
  
Julia thought for a moment, then smiled. She reached out her mind until she had contact with both Schuldig and Brad's minds. Without a second thought, she completely connected them and sat back.  
  
Schuldig opened his eyes mentally and looked around. Brad lay before him, convulsing in pain. The young German knelt down. /Brad, can you hear me?/  
  
/Yes./ Came the weak reply.  
  
/You haven't been shot, / Schuldig said firmly.  
  
/I'm bleeding, aren't I? /  
  
/No. Didn't you hear Geheim's explanation? You're perfectly fine.... you're mind's just telling' ya otherwise.../  
  
/I can't stop it, Schuldig, he's got me.../ Brad whimpered.  
  
Schuldig opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped, eyes widening in pain. /I don't know how long I'm going to last in here,/ he whispered. /Please listen to me. I'm not going to let you die. I refuse to have another death on my conscience./  
  
/Why should you care?/  
  
/I just do, okay? Do I have to have a reason for everything I do?/  
  
/I guess not./ His eyes went blank. /I'm sorry about what I said./  
  
/It's okay. I shouldn't have reacted that way. You didn't know.../  
  
/Never will. I'm sorry./ And then he was gone, and the connection was broken.  
  
Schuldig collapsed from the strain put on his mind and body. His eyes fluttered back open only a half a second later to see the young American still lying there. /You better be alive,/ he thought.  
  
He looked over at Julia before looking back to the oracle he was holding. "What did you do? Is he okay?" Julia frowned. If it had worked, Brad should have been awake...The dark head rolled to the side and his body went limp.  
  
Schuldig looked at him, breath not coming to his lungs, then looked back at Geheim. "You son of a -" he started, throwing his entire mind at the man, trying to do anything to damage him.  
  
Geheim easily blocked it and laughed. "That's what you deserve, Schuldig. And remember, anyone you try to befriend will end up like him." Geheim said, leaving the room.  
  
Schuldig let out a choked sob as he fell to the floor, all energy gone from his body.  
  
The three remaining adults watched in shocked silence as the sobbing German held onto Brad's body. Julia closed her eyes and stretched her mind, connecting hers with Geheim's, and in a split second she ended the attack. Brad inhaled and turned his head towards Schuldig, asleep in his grasp.  
  
Schuldig looked at him, gold eyes fuzzy. /Brad?/  
  
The older boy shifted, but did not open his eyes. /What?/ he thought groggily.  
  
/You all right?/  
  
Brad's eye's fluttered open and he turned a confused gaze on Schuldig. /I don't know. Were you totally in my mind a minute ago?/  
  
/Yes./ Schuldig's voice sounded further away now as he began to feel darkness closing in around him.  
  
/Don't drop me./ Brad told him. /How badly did he hurt you?/  
  
/I don't know, but it hurts. I can't breath well either./  
  
"Herr Geheim isn't going to be happy with whatever you did." Herr Conner told Julia. "You should help them." the silver haired woman replied coolly.  
  
The young German felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back to see Amy. She smiled as she supported a good deal of his weight. She turned to Brad. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Spent." The American replied tiredly. "I'm fine physically." he added. "Will he be okay?"  
  
/I'm fine,/ the exhausted, and barely audible, voice entered his head.  
  
/Right. You look great, too./ Brad replied.  
  
The gold eye boy gave him a wide smile. /You don't need to worry about me, Braddy. You're the one that nearly died on us./  
  
/Please don't call me that, Schuldig.../ He said in a pleading tone. Nevertheless, he gave a small smile back to the boy.  
  
/So you're all right, right?/  
  
/As long as you're all right./ Brad agreed.  
  
Schuldig started to say something, but the darkness that had been taunting him closed in and he felt himself collapse.  
  
Brad shot an arm out and kept Schuldig's head from hitting the floor as the German fell over him. He shifted his position so Schuldig was leaning against him, the green-blonde head on his shoulder. "I'll take care of him." Brad murmured.  
  
Schuldig cough and his golden eyes fluttered open to look at the American.  
  
The American didn't notice as he glared at the adults in the room. "He apparently isn't as safe with you as you thought." He said quietly.  
  
Connor knelt down. "Amy and I have done everything we can to keep him safe. It's very difficult with Geheim being telepathic..."  
  
Brad leaned fractionally away from Conner when he got close to Schuldig and fixed a glare on him. "And what powers do you have?" he asked.  
  
"I'm empath," Connor answered. "Do you suspect me of working with Geheim?"  
  
Brad didn't answer his question. "Well then. If an empath can't protect him, maybe a precog can."  
  
Julia raised an eyebrow. This boy had more potential that she had first thought.  
  
"You're a young man," Connor stated. "What good can you do on your own for him?"  
  
"What good are you going to do him if you bend and break to Geheim's will and you're plastered against a wall when he's strangling the life out of Schuldig? What good can you do on your own for him?" Brad said flatly.  
  
/Please don't fight over this,/ Schuldig's quiet plead came to their minds.  
  
"Gentlemen, if you'll excuse my intrusion, but Schuldig does need some medical attention and it is a regular school day tomorrow. Maybe you should have this discussion when the German in question can be more active in the conversation." Julia said.  
  
Connor nodded as he reached forward to take Schuldig from Brad's arms.  
  
Something in Brad's mind did *not* want this man to have him, and he subconsciously moved away again.  
  
Herr Connor frowned. "Would you like to carry him, Mr. Crawford?" he asked, slightly annoyed.  
  
Brad glared at the man. Julia leaned against the doorframe. "I think it would be best if he did, Herr Conner. It would be less of a jolt for Schuldig." she said.  
  
Connor nodded reluctantly and stood. Schuldig let out a half-muffled gasp of pain as the American stood with him in his arms. His whole body tensed and he tried to curl up in a ball.  
  
Brad took in a deep breath and tried something he hadn't done in several years. He reached out his mind and enwrapped Schuldig's, taking away some of the pain.  
  
The young German relaxed slightly. His golden eyes fluttered open once more and he stared up. /Thank you,/ he whispered in German.  
  
/You're welcome./ Brad replied in German as well. He followed Herr Conner out of the room, minding he didn't hit any walls.  
  
"Don't mind Jack," Amy said as she fell into step with the slightly younger American. "He's very protective of that boy. He has been ever since he came to Rosenkreuz."  
  
"Why?" Brad asked.  
  
Amy looked to see the young German asleep and smiled down at him. "Jack's aunt was Schu's mother. When she and Schuldig's father died, Jack felt as if he needed to take care of him. He was attended Rosenkreuz at the time, so he brought him here."  
  
"How long has Schuldig been the target of Herr Geheim's mind games?" Brad asked quietly.  
  
"Several years now.... let's see... He was ten when Geheim took notice of him. He was probably thirteen when he started to take it out on him physically. He's been torturing him with mind games since he learned about his parents' death... He's made sure Schu's felt guilty about it."  
  
Schuldig's earlier words rang in Brad's head. /I won't have another death on my conscience./ Brad looked over at Amy. "But he wasn't responsible."  
  
"No," Amy agreed. "And yes." She sighed. "When Schu was around seven his powers began to show. Something happened that resulted in his parents' death. His mother was clairvoyant, but to a larger extent than you. She saw their deaths before Schu as born, and knew that they would die if she had this child, yet she allowed Schuldig to be born. Now Schu feels guilty over what happened."  
  
Crawford frowned. "How did his parents die?"  
  
Amy started to respond, but a cough came from the German boy in Brad's arms and she silenced herself. "How are you feeling, Schu? We'll be to the nurse's station soon." "I feel a little better," he whispered.  
  
Brad couldn't help but feel a little annoyed with Herr Conner. What kind of nut case would bring a boy to this God forsaken school for 'gifted' children, as he had been told it was called. He took on more of Schuldig's pain to give the boy some relief.  
  
/Why are you doing this?/ the German's thoughts entered his mind. /You didn't seem to care earlier./  
  
/Do I have to have a reason for everything I do?/ Brad asked.  
  
Julia had stayed in Herr Conner's room to make a phone call. "Mr. Takatori? Yes, this Julia. I think I found the first recruit." She said.  
  
Schuldig's eyes flew open and he sat strait up in his bed, gasping. Blasted dream... Now the pain started all over again.  
  
"It all came back, did it?" A voice asked quietly from the shadows.  
  
"All of what?" he responded, unsure.  
  
"Pain. At least I can take aspirin for my headaches. I...I came because I knew you'd have nightmares."  
  
Schuldig relaxed as he recognized the person's voice. He fell back against the pillows. "You were right."  
  
"I'm never wrong."  
  
"So what do you see in our future, Herr Oracle?" the young telepath asked.  
  
Crawford shook his head. "Nothing but trouble." he said dryly.  
  
"Wonderful...."  
  
"We've been volunteered to help the second graders with their swim class in place of gym tomorrow." Brad added. "Hope you can doggy-paddle."  
  
Schuldig laughed, coughed, and then relaxed again. He whimpered slightly. "Not that I'm going to miss gym," he answered with a smile. "This could actually be fun."  
  
Brad lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah. Dodging a bunch of eight-year-old kids with supernatural powers. Loads of fun."  
  
"But I probably won't be in the water," the German said with a smile.  
  
"How bad are you hurting?"  
  
"It's fine as long as I'm not moving around too much. I'd say being dunked in the water by the little ones would hurt. Especially Abby. She's Amy's little sister. She's dangerous at times..." Schuldig laughed.  
  
"What is she gifted with?" Brad asked.  
  
"She's telekinetic."  
  
"Hm. I've never known a telekinetic personally."  
  
"This one's a hyperactive telekinetic. Frightening."  
  
"Hai. I'll leave so you can sleep."  
  
Just as the American was about to leave, Schuldig called out to him. "Why are you here, Brad? You know why I'm here, but I don't have a clue about your past at all."  
  
The dark haired boy froze with his hand on the door. His past? He met Schuldig's golden gaze. "I'm here because I have nowhere else to be." he said quietly. "Guten nacht." 


	3. Water Wars, Rosenkreuz Style

Author's Notes: Thanks so much for reviewing, everyone. No, German is not our first language, so danke for the pointers. As for the ages of Brad and Schu, we realize that they are five years apart, but we needed them in a class together for the story so we accomplished that on the premise of them having an advanced class together. Again, thank you for the reviews and criticism; it's appreciated! Keep reading and enjoying, everyone!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Three: Water Wars, Rosenkreuz style  
  
Schuldig laughed as he watched Brad struggling against one of the more powerful of the second graders. He received a glare from the American.  
  
Julia sat on the diving board, watching over her brood and her two volunteers. She grinned as she watched them work. She'd only asked them to help this morning, but Brad had already known. The oracle was making a sharp reply to Schuldig when he was sucked under by a telekinetic tidal wave.  
  
Schuldig grinned broadly. "Go, Abby!" he called to the small girl who was sitting by the side of the pool.  
  
Brad came up sputtering water. "What was that for?" he exclaimed. A dark haired little boy came to his aid and soon had Schuldig drenched with several blasts of water.  
  
The German sputtered and laughed, holding his aching ribs. He looked up through now drenched bangs and grinned.  
  
"Play nice!" Julia called with a laugh from her perch.  
  
"I dare you to get in here and fight me, Herr Telepath," Brad challenged, still offended by the last assault. The kids cheered.  
  
Schuldig frowned. He really didn't feel like getting in and getting wet, but he also didn't want to turn down a challenge. "Sure thing," he answered with a grin. "Chose sides, kiddos!" he called.  
  
The children scrambled to pick a volunteer; either Brad in the deep end or Schuldig in the shallow end. "Please don't drown anyone." Julia said.  
  
Abby tugged on the German's half soaked t-shirt. "I'm on your side, Schu!" she announced proudly.  
  
He grinned. "Good. I'm going to need ya, kiddo."  
  
Brad looked down at the dark haired boy who had saved him earlier. "What's your name?" he asked.  
  
The boy looked up at him with guarded blue eyes. "Nagi Naoe." he said softly.  
  
"He's very powerful," the young telekinetic girl told the telepath.  
  
"Gives Braddy a chance then against us, ne, Abby?"  
  
"I told you not to call me that!" Brad shouted across the pool. A small smile tugged on the corners of Nagi's mouth. "All right kids, get ready." Brad said quietly.  
  
Abby closed her eyes and focused her mind. Schuldig looked down at her and grinned. /Get ready, Brad. You're in trouble with this little girl on my side./  
  
Brad put a hand on Nagi's shoulder. /We can take you./ He replied. The boy was already focusing as well, his eyes shining.  
  
The water came up in a tidal wave and clashed into each other. Julia sighed as she wondered if any of the water would make stay in the pool.  
  
All the children on both teams ducked as water rained down around them. Julia blew her now wet bangs out of her face. And this was just the beginning of the period. Nagi focused his force on the water around Schuldig.  
  
The young German felt it come crashing around him and he took a deep breath. He did his best not to gasp as the water came down upon him and white-hot pain ran through his battered rib cage.  
  
Abby realized what the young boy was doing and focused on the water around Brad. The American was sucked under by a whirlpool before he could comprehend the swirling water.  
  
Schuldig came up gasping. Each breath hurt. "Where's Brad?" he asked, pain evident.  
  
"Underwater." One of the students said. Nagi was trying to find him, but the water was swirling around him too.  
  
Schuldig grinned. "Let him up before ya drown him," he said lightly. Abby frowned slightly, and then complied.  
  
Julia watched with narrowed eyes as the American floated to the surface, face down. Then she realized what happened, and grinned. She shielded his mind from anyone else reading it. The children stared at him, waiting for something to move.  
  
"Brad?" Schuldig called out. "Hey! Get up! Fun's over."  
  
Nothing from the oracle. Not the slightest trace of brain activity. Nagi looked up at Julia, and he was the only one who saw her wink slightly at him.  
  
Fear raced through the telepath as he made his way over to his friend, "Brad?" he asked as he touched his shoulder.  
  
Julia released her shield, and Brad jumped up in the water with a fantastic yell, sending all the kids shrieking backwards with laughter.  
  
Schuldig fell back into the water. "YOU IDIOT!! YOU SCARED ME!" he yelled.  
  
Brad floated smugly in the water. "That was the entire point."  
  
Schuldig glared and started for the side of the pool, holding his ribs gingerly. /That wasn't nice./  
  
Brad smiled. /I know./  
  
Julia looked at the clock and picked up her bullhorn. "Period's over. Dismissed. If any of the stronger telekinetics would like to put the water back *in* the pool...."  
  
Schuldig heaved himself out and sat on the edge, still glaring.  
  
Brad got out of the pool and helped the kids out of the deep end. He grabbed two towels and headed over to Schuldig. He handed one to the pouting German. /It was just a joke./ he thought softly.  
  
/You really did have me scared, you moron./ The tone of his thoughts were harsh. He coughed and shuddered slightly. "Are we done here?"  
  
Brad dropped the towel in his lap and picked up his bag that was next to Schuldig. As he was close to Schuldig's ear he murmured a quick, "I'm sorry," in German and left.  
  
"So who won?" Abby asked from his side.  
  
Nagi picked up his stuff, which was also there. "Crawford and Schuldig won." he said quietly. "We're going to be late for next period." he added.  
  
Schuldig leaned against the locker next to Brad's as the older boy was getting his books. He'd been there the past few moments without saying a word. "I'm sorry about being so short with you earlier," he said suddenly.  
  
"No reason. It was my joke." Brad replied. He shut the locker and looked at the younger boy.  
  
"I'm still sorry," the smaller boy said. His shoulders slumped and he met the other's gaze.  
  
"Why?" Brad asked. "I shouldn't have done it. I usually don't."  
  
Schuldig flashed him a wide grin. "You're headin' to the same class as me, ne?"  
  
"Hai. Maybe we'll actually get to be *in* class today."  
  
Schuldig laughed. "Yeah... That would be a change."  
  
Geheim watched the two from down the hallway. He couldn't let them get close; he couldn't have this older American protecting the younger German, or he the game wouldn't be fun anymore. He had to get rid of one of them, somehow.  
  
Schuldig stopped suddenly, staring strait ahead.  
  
Brad glanced back at him. "What is it?"  
  
"Geheim."  
  
The oracle's countenance instantly darkened. "Come on, let's go." he said firmly.  
  
Schuldig nodded. He glanced behind him one last time before he felt Brad take his wrist and pull him down the hall.  
  
"Good for nothing power freak," Brad muttered to himself, dragging Schuldig behind him. It was only a few more feet to the safety of the English classroom...  
  
/Don't pull so hard,/ Schuldig pleaded. /Do I have to remind you that my ribs are cracked?/  
  
/You want all of them broken?/ Brad replied. He did slow his pace a little.  
  
The German stumbled slightly. Normally he could match and go past anyone's speed, but not now. Now it was all he could do to keep up and stay on his feet at the same time.  
  
Brad pulled them into the English classroom and shut the door behind them. Julia looked up from her grade work. There were only three or four other students in the room. "You're early gentlemen. Daijoubu?"  
  
Schuldig doubled over and dropped to the floor, thankful for to rest.  
  
Julia sorted out the emotions emanating from the two young men. Schuldig was a mix of worry, pain, relief, and tension, while Crawford was a mix of hate, concern, anger and foreboding. "Do you need help, Schuldig?" she asked, rising from her desk.  
  
"I'm fine," he whispered.  
  
The other students watched as Brad pulled him to his feet and set him in a seat near the front. The American slid into the seat next to him and watched the door.  
  
/He won't follow us in here. He never has before anyway.../  
  
/Things can change./  
  
/What do you see?/  
  
/Nothing. That's what worries me./  
  
Schuldig laid his head on his desk and cringed. Everything hurt now.  
  
Brad gently nudged his mind, asking for permission to take the pain again.  
  
Schuldig nodded slightly. He felt some relief and sat up. /Thanks./  
  
The warning bell rang and Crawford felt something in his mind snap, and a vision flooded over his sight. He tensed slightly, but did not let any pain go back to Schuldig.  
  
/Brad?/  
  
/Shut up,/ he thought blindly. He bit his lip. Geheim had been blocking his sight. /He's going to rip.../ Brad closed his eyes.  
  
/Going to rip? What?/ Schuldig asked, thoroughly confused now,  
  
Brad cleared his mind and looked at Julia. "Frauline?" he asked. She had been watching him.  
  
"Yes, Brad?"  
  
"May I be excused from class?" The young woman blinked.  
  
"Is there a good reason for it?"  
  
"What's going on?" the German telepath demanded. He began to probe the older boy's mind.  
  
Brad blocked him with a low snarl. "Do *not* do that without invitation." To Julia he nodded.  
  
She glanced between the two. "I'll permit it. Please see me later for your assignments."  
  
Schuldig grabbed Brad's sleeve. "What the heck is going on?" he demanded.  
  
"He wants to have a chat. I'm going. I'll be back." Brad pulled away from the German's grasp.  
  
Schuldig watched after him with fear filled gold eyes. "No! Brad! His chats are NOT something you'll like!"  
  
The rest of the students began pouring into the room as Brad slipped out. /I'll be back. I promise./  
  
Schuldig collapsed back into his chair.  
  
Outside, Geheim was waiting. "Hello there, Mr. Crawford."  
  
"Herr Geheim. You wanted to talk?" Brad said monotone. He wasn't going to let this man win.  
  
"Where's your shadow, Mr. Crawford?" the man asked with a smile.  
  
"Shadows thrive in light, not dark, if you hadn't heard."  
  
Just around the corner, Schuldig stood listening. He'd be there if his friend needed him, but decided he wouldn't get in the way.  
  
Julia kept track of both young men's emotions from in her classroom. If she had too, she could stop any more damage from coming to the two of them.  
  
Geheim frowned. "Yes, so I heard. Shadows do fade and vanish when the sun goes down."  
  
Schuldig kept a guard up so that Geheim wouldn't notice his presence...hopefully...  
  
Julia was blocking the presence of Schuldig's mind for Brad's sake. Brad looked up at the older man. "What do you want, Geheim?"  
  
"I want you to leave my toy alone," the man said simply. "Leave him alone and it will be less painful for you both."  
  
"Let me get one thing straight with you. Schuldig is *not* your toy anymore. *You* leave *him* alone, and maybe you'll still be running this place come next semester." Crawford hissed.  
  
Schuldig looked on from the shadows. A smile crossed his lips. He'd have to remember to thank his friend later.  
  
"Defiant brat, aren't you? What are you possibly going to gain by protecting him? He isn't worth anything." Geheim sneered.  
  
Crawford looked at him darkly. "How would you know? You wouldn't recognize something of value if it hit you in the face."  
  
Geheim reached back and struck the American across the face.  
  
"Sticks and stones, Herr Geheim. Sticks and stones." Brad said.  
  
Geheim paused. "I want to show you something." he said. "Follow me."  
  
Schuldig growled under his breath. This was going to be difficult.  
  
Geheim led the American down the hall before unlocking a stairwell door that was usually inaccessible. Brad followed the man down it, unsure of what he was going to see, exactly.  
  
Schuldig stopped when reached the door, looking after them. This couldn't be good...  
  
They came to a halt in a large sized room. It was nicely decorated in a hunting theme. Brad thought it was a little ironic. There were three more doors on one side of the room, but Geheim didn't appear to have a purpose to open them. He went to the desk in the room and pulled out what looked to be a photo album. He motioned the boy over.  
  
Crawford walked over hesitantly, glancing at the photo.  
  
"You see this bus?" Geheim asked. "Twenty students went on a field trip. This was several years ago, before Schuldig was even at the school. There were two boys like you, only one was a telekinetic and the other an empath. Only one of them went on that field trip."  
  
The young German huddled in the corner listened carefully. What was this?  
  
"The empath was like Schuldig. Fun to torment. He was the one that stayed behind because he had a headache that day. Those two were very close and had become very protective of one another. The telekinetic was like you, stronger, older. No one came back from that field trip, Mr. Crawford." 


	4. Schuldig's Troubles...What Does Julia Ha...

Chapter Four: Schuldig's troubles...What does Julia have to do with it?  
  
  
  
"What happened?" the young precog asked.  
  
"I had it blown up. The empath was quite grief stricken. He did graduate, but he was never quite the same. I'll do the same to the both of you if you don't leave him be." Geheim said.  
  
Schuldig gasped slightly, eyes wide. /No... He wouldn't,/ he thought in horror.  
  
"Is that a threat or a promise, Herr Geheim?" Brad asked coolly.  
  
"Whichever you take it as, Mr. Crawford," the man answered smoothly.  
  
"Then you're the biggest coward I've ever met in my life. Good day, Herr Geheim."  
  
The young American watched the teacher pass by him and leave. He started for the door as well, but turned as he heard someone behind him. Schuldig stood there, staring at him.  
  
Brad closed his eyes for a long moment and the glare that he had put on for Geheim eased off his features. "What the hell are you doing down here, Schuldig?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I wanted to make sure you'd be all right. I know how his talks usually end up...."  
  
"I can take care of myself. Thanks anyway."  
  
"Maybe you should..." Schuldig started, then stopped. He looked away.  
  
The young oracle frowned. "Should what, Schuldig?"  
  
"Maybe you should just let me handle Geheim and not get any more deeply involved than you all ready have...."  
  
"You mean do what he said and leave you alone. Ignore you. Pay no attention whatsoever to you in class, in the hall, wherever. Not care when he beats you to a pulp to protect my being?"  
  
"Yes," the younger boy said simply.  
  
"You want that." Brad said flatly.  
  
"You've done enough," Schuldig said with a forced smile. "Don't think I'm not grateful. I'd like to have a friend that I could hang out with without being frightened they'd get killed by Geheim, but I don't think that's going to happen..."  
  
Brad simply stared at him over the top of his frameless glasses for a long while. He turned to go. "Do as you wish, Schuldig, but I'm not leaving you to his devices."  
  
"You're going to get yourself killed," Schuldig called to him, grabbing him by the arm and halting his exit.  
  
Brad looked down at him. "I can do what I wish with my own life, ne?"  
  
Schuldig glared up at the taller boy. "I will NOT have another death on my conscience," he growled.  
  
Brad pulled his arm roughly away from Schuldig. "If I chose to die it won't be your conscience it's on, now will it? And for another thing, who says I'm going to die? Who says either one of us is going to die? That's not putting a whole lot of faith in either one of us." he said harshly.  
  
Schuldig growled something in German before storming past him. "You're a fool then for protecting me. Something you don't seem to see is that he was right. I'm worthless. Worthless to everyone except people like him to torment and people like Estet to use my abilities." That said, he started out the door.  
  
Brad reached out, grabbed the younger boy, and whirled him around so they were facing each other. He held the German by the shoulders and fought the urge to shake him senseless. "Worthless? Is that what you think you are, Schuldig? Is that all you think of yourself? You're wrong, you idiot. Worthless is when someone who gets sent away because his parents didn't want him. Worthless is someone who g  
  
"You think no one would die to save you?" Schuldig asked quietly. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm basically giving myself to that idiot by telling you to do what I told you. I don't care anymore, though." He sighed. "Worthless is when you can't repent of what you've done. When you're guilty of everything. I killed my own parents, Brad! At least you have PARENTS!!"  
  
"At least yours wanted you." Brad said lowly. "You didn't kill them. I don't care what made them die, but you didn't kill them. Not you. You're the most misnamed person I've ever met, Schuldig. And quite frankly I don't care if you don't care anymore. I have to have a reason to live through the next day, week, and month. And you're a good a reason as any." He released the Germans shoulders and half turned away.  
  
Schuldig looked at his friend. "I just don't want to loose anyone else," he whispered.  
  
Brad turned back and wrapped his arms around the German. "Then you won't," he whispered. "Because I won't let anyone take anything else from you."  
  
Schuldig smiled and returned his friend's embrace. /Thank you./  
  
Brad half-smiled against the green-blonde hair. /Anytime./  
  
Schuldig and Brad made their way back to the classroom and were about to enter as the dismissal bell rang. The young German smirked. "Ah well. One more class we haven't made it to. Our teachers are going to start to get use to this."  
  
"We're going to start failing classes." Brad grumbled.  
  
The green-blond headed boy started to say something, but was interrupted as the door opened. Julia looked at them. "Where were you both all period? I was beginning to become worried."  
  
"Having a chat with Herr Geheim." Brad replied. "We can make the assignment up."  
  
Julia nodded. "You both are okay, right?"  
  
Schuldig nodded. "Ja."  
  
"I'll excuse you both this time. No assignment make up. You'd better hurry though, the next teacher won't be as generous I'm sure." Julia said with a smile.  
  
They nodded and were off.  
  
(later that day...) "Did Geheim say he blew that bus up?" Schuldig asked suddenly, looking up from his thoughtful gaze.  
  
Brad was slightly startled by the question. "Yeah, that's what he said. Why?"  
  
"Herr Connor told me something akin to that story once."  
  
"What did he tell you?"  
  
"That he lost a friend a long time ago in an explosion and he didn't think it was an accident. I suppose it was Geheim."  
  
"He must have been the empath Geheim was talking about."  
  
"Ja." The young German looked out from his perch on the chair at Herr Connor watching Amy play with Abby in the pool.  
  
"Are they involved?" Brad asked.  
  
Schuldig looked back at him. "Eh?"  
  
"Amy and Herr Conner. Are they dating?"  
  
"Sort of," the German responded distantly. "It's never been official. It's kinda everything but dating, ya know?"  
  
"Yeah. Why aren't they official?"  
  
"I'm really not sure. They just never have been. Openly anyway."  
  
"Maybe Geheim won't allow it."  
  
"You think Jack would listen?" Schuldig responded as he stretched out lazily in the chair.  
  
The American rolled his eyes. "Not if he's related in any way to you."  
  
The telepath grinned, then stood and walked over a ways away from the older boy. Brad gave him an odd look and then found out why he moved as a title wave of pool water came down around him.  
  
He made no reaction but turned a steely gaze on the green-blonde haired man. He sat there, staring at him.  
  
Schuldig raised his hands in defense. "I didn't tell her to do it. I simply moved when she told me to."  
  
"Schu?" Brad asked with faked sweetness.  
  
"Ja?"  
  
"You may want to duck."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Schuldig was hit with a massive wave of water, emanating from the dark haired Nagi Naoe. Brad clapped slowly a few times. "Very, very, nice."  
  
Schuldig sputtered and glared. "HEY!! I told you it wasn't my fault!" He suddenly grinned evilly.  
  
Nagi was smiling at his handiwork, but Crawford did *not* like the look on his face. /What are you thinking?/  
  
Schuldig looked back at Abby who was grinning from ear to ear. Brad suddenly felt himself being lifted off of his chair and soon found himself in the pool. Schuldig stood on the side, grinning.  
  
/Don't make me drown on you again./ Brad thought darkly, coming up and wiping water off his face. "Nagi? Assistance?"  
  
"That's quite all right!" Schuldig said as he inched away from the water. "I'm wet enough all ready...."  
  
He felt an invisible bond encase him, and he was lifted up and over the water. Nagi left him hanging there and grinned.  
  
The bonds around him tightened as not to drop him and the German grimaced. He glared back at Crawford. /Have your little henchman put me down./  
  
"My henchman? I'm not paying the kid you know." Brad said with a smirk.  
  
Schuldig glared. "Just have him put me down." /My ribs hurt.../  
  
"Drop him."  
  
Schuldig felt the bonds let go and he had a brief moment to think about what was about to happen before he hit the water with a splash.  
  
Brad leaned back and floated on his back. /Daijoubu?/  
  
/No,/ came the aggravated reply as the young German made it to the top of the water. He grimaced.  
  
/Gomen./  
  
Schuldig found his way over to the side and hung on, not able to touch the bottom of the pool. He coughed and shuddered. Why did it seem as if his ribs just wouldn't heal?  
  
Brad sighed. He'd done it again. He watched Schuldig pull himself out of the pool and grab a towel. There was something strange about the way he was healing, pool or no pool.  
  
The young German sat on the edge, towel wrapped around him, and shivered.  
  
Brad took in a deep breath of air and allowed himself to sink in the pool. He honestly wanted to help and protect Schuldig. It just seemed that at the moment he was making it worse and not better. But he couldn't...wouldn't...leave him to Geheim.  
  
/Don't drown yourself,/ came Schuldig's amused thoughts.  
  
Brad released a small bubble of air as a response, but smiled anyway.  
  
/Just to let you know that I'm not coming in after you if you do drown./  
  
/You're one in a million./  
  
Schuldig grinned as he curled up by the side of the pool. /I don't feel well,/ he grumbled. /So I'm gonna stay out a while./  
  
/Tell me if it hurts too badly./ Brad opened his eyes and stared at the water above him. The way the light hit it and made everything blur and seem beautiful was captivating. He'd have to remember to dive for his glasses later, which were now on the bottom of the pool.  
  
Schuldig coughed but did not respond. He curled up tighter, willing away the pain.  
  
Brad felt himself lightly brush the bottom of the pool. He still had about twenty seconds before he needed air. He touched Schuldig's mind with his own. /Let me have it./  
  
No response came from the young German.  
  
/Onegai, Schuldig./ Crawford looked up when he heard the muffled sounds of Abby and Amy above the water. He swam up and broke the surface to see Schuldig lying, eyes closed, with the two girls by his side, trying to wake him. Connor was making his way over to them.  
  
"What happened?" Brad demanded, swimming in that direction.  
  
"I'm not sure," Amy responded, still trying to wake the young German. "I called over to him and he didn't respond. When Abby and I came over, he was out cold."  
  
Brad reached the edge of the pool by where they were. /Schuldig, wake up. Talk to me, Schuldig./  
  
The young German groaned softly, but did not wake.  
  
"We should get him dry and in bed." Conner said.  
  
/Schuldig, listen to me. Just wake up long enough for me to take some of the pain away./  
  
Schuldig's eyes snapped open as consciences returned to him, accompanied by pain. He bit back a scream as he curled up tighter.  
  
As soon as he opened his eyes, Brad touched their minds and pulled the pain away from Schuldig's mind and body.  
  
The German coughed violently and then relaxed, pulling his hands away from his mouth and staring up at his friend. /Thank you, once again,/ he thought to him.  
  
/Like I said, I can take something for it./ Brad said with forced smile.  
  
Schuldig forced himself into a sitting position, coughing again. /Maybe I'm just getting sick or something,/ he thought as another coughing spell hit him again.  
  
/I'm going to find some Tylenol.../ Brad thought.  
  
Nagi came over and handed him a pill bottle.  
  
Schuldig weakly lay back down where he had been, still coughing slightly. /What's the matter with me...?/  
  
/I'm not sure. You probably have a cold./ Brad said. He had an idea, though. He thanked Nagi, and wondered how the boy knew he needed it.  
  
/I don't get sick,/ Schuldig responded. /Or at least I never have as far back as I can remember. No one here does very often./  
  
Brad narrowed his eyes. /Oh, really?/  
  
/Ja,/ the young German answered. He brought his hand up to his mouth as he coughed again. He tasted blood and brought his hand away, closing it quickly.  
  
Brad noticed the jerky reaction and gently grabbed Schuldig's hand.  
  
Schuldig kept it clenched tightly. /What?/  
  
/Let me see your palm./  
  
The German looked up at his American friend. He slowly released his fist.  
  
Brad grimaced and touched the blood with his index finger. He cursed under his breath and stood quickly.  
  
Amy looked up from where she and Connor had been discussing quietly. Connor stood. "What is it?"  
  
"He's bleeding."  
  
"I'm fine," Schuldig whispered  
  
"Take care of him. I've got to see Frauline Julia."  
  
Schuldig crawled to his feet. /Brad?/  
  
/Stay. I'll be right back./  
  
Schuldig couldn't respond as he felt an other coughing spell come upon him and he lost himself to the darkness he'd been fighting for the past few minutes.  
  
Brad pulled on a t-shirt over his trunks and quickly walked down the hall to Julia's door. He pounded on it. "Julia!"  
  
The young woman opened the door. "Hello there, Mr. Crawford. How can I help you?"  
  
"You know what he's doing, don't you? You know what Geheim is up too." Brad nearly shouted. 


	5. Answers and a Way of Escape

Chapter Five: Answers and a Way of Escape  
  
   
  
  "Excuse me?"  
  
"You know that he's screwing with Schuldig's head and making him sick. You know why, and you know how to stop it, don't you?" he growled.  
  
She backed away from the young American. "Is Schuldig ill?"  
  
"Yes, and Geheim's doing it. You know how to stop him, I saw it."  
  
Julia closed her eyes, reaching out.  
  
She connected to Brad's mind. /You're right. I know a lot of things. But I'm not sure what you mean about stopping him./  
  
"I want to know what your game is, lady. You're not just a transfer teacher." Brad growled.  
  
"Of course not, but now you really should go see your friend."  
  
The American glared at her. "Don't think I won't find out." He dashed out of the room and back to the pool area.  
  
Schuldig was lying on his back, covered in sweat. His eyes slid open and focused on Brad.  
  
Brad knelt by him. "Schuldig?"  
  
The young German reached a shaky hand up to his friend. He smiled weakly.  
  
Brad clasped the German's hand between his own. "What's happening?" the oracle whispered.  
  
"We don't know," Connor responded. "He's getting worse and worse."  
  
He smoothed Schuldig's bangs back with one hand while still holding the younger boy's hand in his other. Julia came up behind Conner and watched, hurt showing in her emerald eyes.  
  
"We need to get him to a bed," Amy said firmly. "Now." Schuldig felt himself being scooped up by the taller American.  
  
/You're going to be okay, Schuldig./ Crawford said. "Where are we taking him?" he asked Conner.  
  
"His room," the elder man said. Schuldig coughed, his entire body shaking under the stress. Once again, he tasted blood on his lips.  
  
Brad nodded, wincing as his friend coughed. He headed towards Schuldig's room as quickly as he could without jarring the German. Some of the students roaming the halls watched as they passed.  
  
The golden-eyed boy felt himself be laid on his bed and he cringed slightly. He looked up at his friend.  
  
Amy placed a hand on the American's shoulder. "He got worse right after you left," she said quietly. "Would it be too much to ask you to stay in here with him?"  
  
"No." Brad said quietly. He sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed the green-blonde bangs away again. /How are you doing?/  
  
/I feel a little better,/ the German responded. /Weak, but better./  
  
/You're going to be okay./ Brad repeated.  
  
/I'm not sure. I.../ his voice trailed off as his eyes slipped shut once more and his tensed body relaxed.  
  
/Schuldig?/ Fear laced the tone of the thought. /Schuldig?/  
  
No response came from the young teen. Connor leaned over the opposite side of the bed, feeling his cheek. "He's got a fever," he whispered.  
  
Julia stood in the doorway, watching the two younger men. Her eyes met Brad's.  
  
"Help him, please." he pleaded softly. She hesitated, then nodded. She left the room.  
  
Schuldig's eyes opened as he began coughing. The fit soon had him sitting up and he shook. He felt Brad's hands holding him steady.  
  
"Hang in there, Schuldig. It's going to be okay." The American murmured.  
  
Julia walked briskly down the hall. Brad Crawford was right. She knew exactly what Geheim was doing. But she wasn't sure she could stop it. But she could try. She knocked on his door.  
  
The door opened and the tall man glared down at her. "What is it?"  
  
"I need to speak with you. Now." She said darkly. She made sure all her mental shields were in place.  
  
"I'm rather busy, so please hurry."  
  
"Whatever you think you're accomplishing by ebbing the life out of that boy, I'm here to tell you it's not working. Even if you kill him, Crawford will come after you. You have no hope, Geheim. Stop your attack."  
  
Geheim's eyes narrowed. "Go back to your room, Frauline, and I'll pretend you were never here."  
  
"I've chosen that boy. He's the one I'm taking back with me to Japan in four weeks. If you kill him, Herr Geheim, you'll be dead within two days."  
  
"You can't have that boy," Geheim responded.  
  
Julia drew her weapon, a perfectly customized gloc. It was overlaid with silver and the handle was engraved with a rose vine design. She aimed it at his head. "I will have that boy, Geheim, or I will decorate your wall with your brain matter. Release your attack. Now."  
  
The larger man frowned. "Done, Frauline."  
  
"It better be. And if you try it again I'll be back. Good day, Herr Geheim." Julia left, shutting the door behind her. She had hoped it wouldn't come to that...  
  
The coughing fit came to a stop and Schuldig collapsed back against his friend's steady grasp, spent. He took a deep breath, surprised that it didn't hurt, and relaxed as Brad set him back on the pillows. The door opened and Julia walked in.  
  
"It's over," the silver haired woman announced quietly. "It shouldn't happen again." She directed her gaze at Crawford. "I'm afraid it's only begun for you." she said softly. "Ja ne."  
  
Schuldig looked up at his friend. /I won't let him hurt you./  
  
/What did she do?/ Crawford wondered. He gazed down at the German. /Works both ways, ne?/  
  
Schuldig smiled as he pushed himself into more of a sitting position./Maybe he'll just leave us both alone, ne?/  
  
Brad returned the smile. /Maybe. I'm going to go see what she said, okay?/  
  
/Brad?/ The American turned to him. /Please stay./  
  
Brad looked down. He glanced to where the woman had been standing, but relaxed against the bed. /Okay./  
  
/Do you think she really did it?/ he asked quietly. /Jack...Herr Connor and Amy have been trying for two years to get him to leave me alone. It's never worked before./  
  
/They never played the game on his level. She has something over him, otherwise she'd be dead./  
  
/Possibly. Herr Connor was always frightened of him./  
  
/I don't blame him. He best friend got blow to a million bits just because he got close to Geheim's toy./  
  
/Jack's felt guilty for bringing me here... I guess he never thought this might happen. I never knew he lost someone like that, though./  
  
/I don't blame him for feeling guilty, either./  
  
Schuldig cringed both when he and Crawford had said the German word. /I'm grateful he took me in. He didn't have to../  
  
/Maybe we won't have to worry about it anymore./  
  
/Yeah./  
  
/Jack was always innocent of most anything,/ Schuldig whispered, loosing himself to sleep. /He was one of the few that didn't loose himself during his time at this school.../  
  
/Innocence./ Brad played the word over in his mind. When he knew Schuldig was totally asleep, he eased off the bed. "I'll be back." he whispered.  
  
He heard a slight whimper from the bed, but then the young German turned over and fell into a deeper sleep.  
  
Brad knocked on Julia's door a few seconds later.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Crawford?" the young woman asked after she had opened the door.  
  
"I don't have long. I have to be back before he wakes up. What did you tell him?" Brad demanded.  
  
"Geheim?" She smiled. "I'm here to find a young student to take with me to help a man named Mr. Takatori. I told Geheim to leave Schuldig alone because I will be taking him."  
  
A myriad of emotions played across his face before settling on relief. "You're getting him out of here." he said.  
  
She pulled him inside and put a barrier around the room. "Yes, but not without a steep price." she said.  
  
"What would that be?" the American responded.  
  
"Schuldig in not weak intellectually or in his abilities as a telepath by any stretch of the imagination. But his guards are weak. He has attacks sporadically and the voices overwhelm him. Working for Takatori will wreak havoc with his mind. If I don't figure out something, he'll get sent right back here. He's not strong enough."  
  
"Aren't there people here that could teach him how to build his barriers better?"  
  
"Of course there are. Some of the strongest people in the world are here. But they wouldn't teach that boy."  
  
"Why?" Crawford asked. "Isn't that the point of being at this school?"  
  
"It is for other students. Students who bend to the will of Geheim and his merry band of evil teachers. They aren't going to help Schuldig anymore than necessary. He's been labeled, Brad. He's Schuldig, the guilty one, and Geheim's toy. And you're falling under that too."  
  
"I can handle it. Schuldig needs to be out of here. This place will drive him insane faster than the outside world would. He's... only fifteen... He's young. He shouldn't be put through this."  
  
Julia sighed. "I wanted you, you know. You're the stronger one. You'd make a good leader. The problem is, Schuldig cannot stay at Rosenkreuz. You and I both know that. But sending him to Takatori now will make him a killer."  
  
Brad looked down at his feet. "Can't you do anything else for him? Anything?"  
  
"Barriers are a specialty for me. We have three weeks. I'll do what I can, but I'm not a professional. I'm an assassin, Brad. An assassin with a major in English and a pension for swimming. I'll do what I can. But you have to be careful. Geheim's watching you now."  
  
He nodded. "I need to be back there when he wakes up."  
  
"Go. Be careful. If you get killed before I take him..."  
  
"I've gotta stay alive to protect him," Crawford said simply as he disappeared out of the room.  
  
The door opened and Schuldig watched the American walk in. "So how'd she do it?" he whispered.  
  
"Apparently her boss is a very influential man." Brad replied. He came over and sat on the bed next to Schuldig. "I wanted to get back quicker."  
  
"S'okay. Was that it?"  
  
Brad smiled. "Sort of." He paused. "I'm going to miss you."  
  
Schuldig looked confused. He allowed his mind to probe the elder boy's to find the meaning of the words.  
  
Brad sat, and allowed him to find what he was looking for.  
  
"I'm going away? An assassin?" the boy asked.  
  
"Julia's an assassin. She's taking you back to Japan with her in three weeks. You'll work for Takatori."  
  
"And I don't get a say in this?" the young boy asked angrily.  
  
  


	6. Pay For Your Sins With Blood

Chapter Six: Pay For Your Sins With Blood  
  
"What do you want me to say, Schuldig? He'll kill you if you stay. You'll be safer if you go."  
  
"Then you have to come with me."  
  
"I can't. Julia's only taking one. Her partner is coming back for somebody else next year. I saw it."  
  
"I don't think I'd make it as an assassin.... I can't kill..."  
  
"Kill or be killed. Isn't that the cliché?"  
  
"I won't kill then."  
  
"Do this for me, Schuldig. I've known you less than a week and I already have nightmares about what he'll do to you if you don't go."  
  
Schuldig looked away. "Fine," he growled. "But if we ever meet again, I won't be the same person."  
  
Brad touched his face before standing to go. "I know." he whispered. "But I rather you be different than dead. Because I'll be different too."  
  
Schuldig heard the door close behind him and he slammed a fist into the bed. This was going to be difficult...  
  
  
  
Crawford lay in bed, staring up at his ceiling. The vision hadn't changed. He could still tap in to it and see himself restrained and Geheim beating Schuldig to his death. And since he could only see the near future....He rolled over and froze as he heard his name called. It was in his head, he was sure, but it wasn't Schuldig...  
  
  
  
  
  
The young German had become restless and was now wandering the halls. His ribs still ached slightly, but otherwise he felt perfectly fine. His mind raced over and over the fact that he was leaving soon, leaving Brad, leaving Jack, Amy, and Abby. An Assassin of all things too. He was so deep in his thoughts he didn't notice figure lurking in the now dark shadows of Rosenkruez's hallway.  
  
  
  
  
  
Brad sat up in bed, pushing the sheets aside. He could still hear his name, calling him towards the staircase he'd gone down earlier. He got out of bed, pulling a shirt over his pajama bottoms. He went down the hall.  
  
  
  
  
  
Schuldig didn't have time to use his speed as hands grabbed him and held firm. A hand clamping down over his mouth muffled his surprised scream and a thick blanket of fog covered his mind from communication.  
  
  
  
  
  
Brad got to the stairwell and immediately noticed that the door was already partially open. He vaguely remembered the Geheim had to unlock it earlier. He pushed it the rest of the way open and descended it quickly.  
  
At the bottom of the stairs, Geheim was standing, smirking and staring at the young German boy held by a couple of teachers. He had ceased struggling and now stood, defeat written on his face.  
  
Brad froze. His worst vision was about to come to pass. Scheisse! Schuldig... He locked eyes with the younger boy briefly before gazing at Geheim. "What are you doing?"  
  
Schuldig struggled once more against the two teachers. Geheim smiled sadistically. "Did Schuldig here tell you how his parents died?" he asked the young American.  
  
Brad's gaze didn't waver. "No, he didn't. It's really none of my business."  
  
"But it does have to do with what's going on here." The smile broadened. Schuldig's eyes widened and he struggled harder, squirming away from the hand over his mouth.  
  
"STOP!" he yelled, fear lacing his voice.  
  
"Truth is," Geheim continued, "Schuldig himself doesn't remember how he killed them. He's blocked it from his memory."  
  
"What does that have to do with what's going on here? That happened a long time ago, from what I understood. Maybe you should leave it alone." Brad said, edging closer.  
  
"But wouldn't it be interesting to know how such a young and untrained telepath could have killed someone. Two someones."  
  
"Please stop," Schuldig whimpered. He felt Geheim probing his mind and memories for what he was looking for.  
  
"No, I wouldn't call it interesting." Brad spat. Now would have been a good time to be telekinetic, he lamented. He edged even closer. He had to stop the man.  
  
Geheim took the young German by the wrist, holding him so that his feet didn't touch the ground. He smirked as Schuldig's eyes went blank. "And I've found what I'm looking for."  
  
"Schuldig? Schuldig!" Brad made a quick lunge forward. "What did you do to him?"  
  
A physical block formed between Geheim and Brad Crawford. The elder man was holding the now limp boy by the wrist. Schuldig suddenly jerked violently, memories surfacing.  
  
Brad pushed against the invisible barrier separating him from Schuldig. He bit his lip and watched as the German twitched, still held in Geheim's grasp. "Please leave him alone. Don't do this to him."  
  
Several tears streamed down the German's pale face. His eyes were wide and frightened. The memories of his parents' death was vivid to him mind's eye. A mental scream sounded in both Geheim and Brad's head, soon followed by another, though aloud this time.  
  
"Schuldig!" Brad shouted. He slammed his fists against the barrier, but it did nothing.  
  
Geheim turned an evil stare on him. "Wouldn't it be a shame if the same thing happened to you?"  
  
Schuldig went limp and Geheim dropped him to the ground, kicking him the ribs. The young telepath groaned slightly, but was otherwise silent.  
  
Brad kneeled, still pressing against the barrier, trying to reach his friend. He glared up at Geheim. "What same thing? What happened?" he growled.  
  
"Schuldig buried his past so deeply in his mind that he could no longer remember it. I simply pulled it out and forced him to realize what he did. He was -" he looked down at the young teen who was slowly coming back to consciousness- "is responsible for the death of his parents."  
  
The oracle narrowed his eyes. "Or you've manipulated him to think like that. He wouldn't do something like that. Not Schuldig." he said firmly.  
  
Golden eyes met dark blue ones. "I did," he whispered. "He's right."  
  
"No. He's not. I'm not going to believe it," he murmured.  
  
"I didn't mean to," the telepath whispered. "It was an accident..."  
  
Suddenly, the American felt the barrier thin beneath his hands. He pushed harder against it. He was so close...  
  
Tears came more freely down the German's face. "It was an accident," he mumbled again.  
  
  
  
"Schuldig," Brad whispered.  
  
Geheim frowned as he realized there was another force in the room, weakening his barrier. He motioned to some of the teacher still in the room to grab Brad and hold him back.  
  
Geheim picked Schuldig up off the ground again and tossed him into the wall. It's your fault, Schuldig, he mentally whispered. Why don't you pay for your sins now and die here? 


	7. And You Give Yourself Away

Author's notes: Hey, everyone! Thanks for being patient with us. This story was written by both Chase and myself in a chatroom style, and therefore was originally written as a MiST, so to speak. (In other words, all of our comments and screennames were stuck in there. _) Chase was editing it, but she's working on about as many projects as I am, so I agreed to finish editing it. The story is basically finished, it's just a matter of copy, pasting, and editing...^^ Don't hurt me, I'll get it out as fast as I can! ^_- Enjoy, and feel free to email me at starchaser478@hotmail.com for any remarks and such. Oh, if the spacing somehow looks weird, I apologize. FF.net isn't liking my documents, and I have to tab them a certain way to make it look right. Sometimes it doesn't work. Thanks!  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven: And You Give Yourself Away  
  
  
  
Brad realized what was happening and desperately tried to pull himself away from the teachers holding him back. "No! Don't listen to him! Schuldig! Look at me!" he screamed.  
  
Schuldig's eyes darted over at the command. The sudden impact against his rib cage made him look back.  
  
"When I'm speaking to you, your attention is on me, boy," Geheim growled.  
  
"Stay away from him! Schuldig! Focus on me! Don't let him control you!" Brad cried. Geheim motioned for one of the teachers to hit him to shut him up.  
  
Schuldig shook slightly as the teacher took his chin in his large hand. "How could you do such an awful thing to them? Your own parents. How could you?"  
  
"I'm sorry," the young German whispered. "I didn't mean to. It got out of control..."  
  
"He didn't. He wouldn't, you sick geezer. Leave him alone! You want a mind to rape and torture pick on someone your own size!" Brad snarled, pulling against the teachers that held him.  
  
The unexpected impact from the teacher sent him flying against the wall.  
  
Brad? Schuldig asked worriedly.  
  
Geheim slapped him across the face. "You'll kill him too, you know. Him, Jack, Amy, and even little Abby. You don't know how to handle your powers. They'll all die because of you."  
  
There was a decided click from the shadows. "Only if you make him. I warned you not to try this again, Herr Geheim."  
  
Schuldig shied away from the man.  
  
Julia stepped forward. "You're really pushing my buttons. I don't like men who don't listen to what I say." She glared at the five surrounding teachers, and they backed down. Not swaying her aim, she pulled Brad to his feet.  
  
Geheim pulled Schuldig up by the collar of his shirt. "I'll kill him now, Frauline," he threatened.  
  
"Ooh, what a shame. Destroying what you so desperately wanted to keep. I don't think you will, Herr Geheim. Really, I don't." Her mind touched Crawford's, and she sent him a suggestion. He nodded quickly.  
  
"I got what I wanted from him."  
  
"A memory of the past? Those come cheap, Herr Geheim. You can buy memories. He has a greater power. You won't destroy that. I believe, however, that Mr. Crawford made you a deal."  
  
Geheim cocked an eyebrow. "What deal would this be?"  
  
"And I quote, 'You want a mind to rape and torture, pick on someone your own size.' Now, of course, weight wise Mr. Crawford has nothing on you, but height and mentally, he should be quite a challenge. The offer is this, give me Schuldig now, I take him to Japan tonight and we're out of your hair permanently. You still have Mr. Crawford."  
  
"That's right." Brad enforced.  
  
"No!" Schuldig pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
Geheim considered for a moment. "No. Not yet, Frauline. I have a much more sinister end in mind for Mr. Crawford."  
  
Schuldig glared up at the man. He'd had enough. He threw all he had into a mental attack against him. A surprised look crossed his pale face as he was dropped to the ground and the elder man stumbled back a couple steps.  
  
"You'll regret that, boy," Geheim hissed. He began stripping any and all of Schuldig's mental shields.  
  
Schuldig let out a scream as he held his hands to his head, trying desperately to stop the voices rushing in. "Stop it!" he yelled out loud. "STOP!"  
  
Geheim did not. He kept pulling and opening Schuldig's mind to all the voices of Rosenkreuz and beyond that.  
  
Julia frowned and began to back away. "You idiot, he'll kill us all," she said.  
  
Brad flung himself against the barrier that was still between him and the German boy. "Schuldig?"  
  
The young telepath lay on the cold floor, hands pressed against the sides of his head. Somehow he felt he could stop it. There had to be a way. It'd never been this bad though.  
  
Finally, there was nothing left keeping everyone else's mind out of Schuldig's. Geheim smiled coldly and planted a seed in the back of the pained boy's mind. /Aim it at Crawford.../ was the almost indiscernible whisper.  
  
"No... Please," he begged.  
  
Geheim simply smiled at watched. /Aim it at Crawford. It's his fault. He can stop it, he could protect you... he said he'd protect you.../ the whispers amongst the screams in his head.  
  
"I don't want to kill anyone else," he whispered.  
  
/Aim it at Crawford and it will all go away./  
  
"Schuldig..." Brad whispered.  
  
/It's his mind that's keeping you in pain.../  
  
Schuldig finally couldn't stand it any longer. He didn't care where it went as long as it went elsewhere.  
  
/Your freedom lies in his demise.../  
  
It sent the telepath over the edge. He screamed, and all the voices and all the agony were pushed at Crawford. The American fell back with a choked cry as his mental shields were battered at an alarming rate...he couldn't keep them all away...they were slowly seeping in. Brad screamed and fell away.  
  
Schuldig lost all awareness after his friend's scream. He dropped down, completely still.  
  
Brad lay on the floor, battling the screaming masses in his head. He drew in deep ragged breaths and tears fell down his face.  
  
Julia knelt by him. "My God," she breathed reverently, "Brad?" She couldn't even touch him, the pain was radiating off of him so much.  
  
Schuldig slowly came too and looked toward his friend. "Brad?" he whispered.  
  
The American simply lay there, drawing in now shallow and uneven gasps of air. His pulse was through the roof. Julia shook her head. He wouldn't be able to stand it much longer.  
  
"What'd I do?" the German whispered. "How do I take it back?"  
  
"You can't." Geheim said coldly. "I told you that you couldn't have him, Frauline."  
  
Julia turned a deadly gaze on him. Brad cried out and curled on his side.  
  
Schuldig placed a shaky hand on his friend's shoulder. "Brad? Please... Let me take it back," he begged.  
  
Brad flinched away from the added contact. He whimpered and mumbled something under his breath. Julia stood, retaking her aim on the older man.  
  
"And what do you want me to do about it?" Geheim asked. "You'll loose one of them. Even if the telepath brat finds a way to take it back, he'll die under the strain."  
  
Brad's body seized up, and he inhaled sharply. One clear thought rang between the German and American. You didn't do this, know that. And then the voices swallowed him up, and Brad lay silent on the cold basement floor.  
  
"Brad?" Schuldig whispered, tears forming again. "No... Brad, get up. Please? You have to get up..."  
  
Geheim flicked a piece of lint off his suit. "Oh well. I warned him."  
  
  
  
Julia moved forward, a smile gracing her lips. Stay with him, she told Schuldig.  
  
Brad? Maybe he could reach him mentally. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his head. Brad? C'mon Braddy.  
  
Julia closed her eyes and stretched out her mind. This was going to be tricky, if she didn't want to kill herself in the process. There might be one way to save Brad Crawford...  
  
"What are you trying, Frauline?" Geheim asked, slightly amused.  
  
"Oh, nothing much." She said darkly. "It's something they call channeling." Hold on to him...  
  
Schuldig pulled the older boy into his harms, supporting him.  
  
"Channeling? Isn't that something you do with the dead?" Geheim asked, still sounding amused.  
  
The young German held on tighter. I don't want to loose anyone else...  
  
A silent echo answered him. I won't let him take anyone else from you... Something Brad had said a long time ago...  
  
Julia had reached both Geheim and Brad's minds, and began pulling the voices back.  
  
Schuldig felt the American's hand tighten around his own. He looked down to see dark blue eyes flutter open beneath his glasses.  
  
"Brad?" Schuldig whispered.  
  
Brad smiled at him before cringing. "Oh my God........." he whimpered. He could hear the voices sweeping back in towards his brain.  
  
Julia could hear them too. She just had to pull them fast enough...She leered at Geheim. "Get ready for the rush of your life," she said.  
  
Geheim's eyes widened suddenly and he reeled back, screaming. 


	8. A Struggle Ends, A New One Begins, And H...

Author's notes: I just want to thank everyone so much for all of your reviews and support. It's been a real encouragement to both Chase and I. This is not the end of our story, and I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy. Next chapter up the twenty-seventh! Thanks again so much, Anna.  
  
Chapter Eight: A Struggle Ends, A New One Begins, And How Long is Goodbye?  
  
Brad almost wished he were still dead as the rampage of voices rushed through his skull. He screamed. Julia pulled the voices from his head to hers through their connection as fast as she could, and into Herr Geheim.  
  
Another scream escaped Geheim's lips as he fell back, struggling to get barriers in place that could take the pressure. He glared at the three and grabbed his head between his hands. "Du kannst mir nicht entkommen..." he hissed.  
  
Julia glared back, and Schuldig and Brad ignored him. Schuldig touched his friend's shoulder. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm great. If I'm crazy after this, that *is* your fault," Brad said with gritted teeth. Julia sank to her knees as the voices faded away.  
  
"I'm sorry," Schuldig whispered in quiet, broken English.  
  
Brad squeezed his friend's hand. "It's okay." he replied softly in German.  
  
Schuldig's eyes widened as he felt Geheim's shields go into place. The man released the voices into the three heads of the people surrounding him.  
  
Brad clutched Schuldig and tried to throw up his shields around the both, having little success. Julia screamed as she fought for control. This wasn't supposed to happen.  
  
Schuldig closed his eyes. He could hold out against this mostly. Make some of the voices disappear from each of their heads, if he only tried harder...  
  
Suddenly, with a mechanic like control, Julia pushed herself to her feet and drew her gloc. "I warned you." she murmured. She fired directly at Geheim, three precise times.  
  
The voices faded as Schuldig's shields returned to their place. He sighed heavily, collapsing against his friend, his energy spent.  
  
Julia flopped down on the floor and glanced over at the two boys. They lay there, Brad holding Schuldig's head against his chest with one hand, his other arm limp against the ground. They were both breathing deeply, as if for the first time in weeks. But now they had a problem. Geheim was dead. The teachers that supported them would not stand by and let them go. But she could only take one of them with her.  
  
Schuldig's golden orbs slid open and he looked up at his friend. "We won, right?"  
  
Brad met his gaze. "Right. Geheim's dead. You're free."  
  
The young German sighed, his eyes beginning to slide close again.  
  
Brad smiled softly and looked at Julia. His smile faded as he saw that this wasn't over yet. There was a guarded expression in her eyes. She was still going to have to take Schuldig.  
  
The young German looked up at him, reading the older man's thoughts. /You should go with her,/ he whispered.  
  
Brad groaned. /What did I tell you about doing that?/  
  
The young teen smiled broadly.  
  
Brad absently toyed with a lock of hair. /No. It would be better for you to go. It's an opportunity, Schuldig./  
  
/This place is hell, Brad. You've got too much goin' for ya to stay here./  
  
/It won't be so bad now that Geheim's gone. Go./  
  
/His people are still here./  
  
/Doesn't matter. I can make myself obscure enough for them to leave me alone./  
  
Schuldig pushed himself to his knees, shuddering visible as he did so. He was unkindly reminded of the recent beating he'd taken from Geheim.  
  
"We have to leave. Now. If you have anything of value you want to take with you, get it and let's jet. We can make the next plane to Tokyo." Julia said quietly.  
  
Schuldig looked at her. /Please take him with you. He's worth a heck of a lot more than I am to you./  
  
"No. You would be much more useful, Schuldig. We need to go. Quickly." she said.  
  
The young German felt Brad pull him to his feet. He sighed inwardly. As soon as he found someone he could call a friend, it seemed he'd loose him just as quickly as he'd gained him.  
  
/We'll see each other again. I know it. Just stay out of trouble, ne?/ Brad said.  
  
The grin appeared again. /Trouble? Me? In trouble? Nah!/  
  
"Chop chop, ne? You have anything you want to take with you? Get it and let's go." Julia said, pushing for the door.  
  
Schuldig grabbed his bandana from his room and said that was all he needed. "I don't want to remember this place," he mumbled. "Ne, Braddy?"  
  
"Hmm?" The older boy acknowledged. /I really wish you wouldn't call me that.../  
  
"Tell Jack good bye for me, ne? And Amy and Abby."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Thanks." He paused. "I'm going to miss you," he said quietly, in the best English he could manage.  
  
"I'm going to miss you too. You're worth a lot, you know that, ne?" Brad said softly.  
  
"I still think you're wrong about that, but it's good to know someone cares."  
  
"Gentlemen," Julia interrupted gently.  
  
Brad nodded. "I'll see you."  
  
Schu nodded, turning. /Maybe next year, ne?/ he asked as he followed Julia out of the room,  
  
/Maybe./ Brad echoed.  
  
Julia had closed her mental links with Geheim and Schuldig, but was still connected to Brad. /You know they're going to kill you,/ she murmured as she ushered Schuldig quickly down the deserted hall.  
  
/They can try./ Brad replied.  
  
"Will he be okay?" the German teen asked quietly.  
  
She looked down at the telepath and smiled. "Of course. He's a strong person." They were outside now, and close to the gates.  
  
Schuldig climbed into the car, still looking back at Rosenkreuz. "I'm going to miss him," he whispered  
  
Julia squeezed his shoulder. "I know. It's never easy to loose someone."  
  
"Will your partner bring him with her next year?"  
  
Julia smiled. "Yes. I'm sure he will."  
  
"Then I haven't lost anyone," he whispered.  
  
"No. I suppose not."  
  
Schuldig watched the young woman start the car and he gave the school one last look. He turned back, frowned, and quietly began probing the young woman's mind.  
  
Julia sensed it immediately and put her shields up. "That isn't polite, you know." But now she had a mental link with him.  
  
"I found what I was looking for," he muttered.  
  
"Gomen." She said with a sigh. She wrapped a shield around his memories of Bradley Crawford. The only way he would ever remember the American was if he ever saw him again. Which wasn't likely.  
  
"What are you doing?" Schuldig asked, uncertain when he felt the mental shields come around him  
  
"Helping your mind out. You've been through a lot, ne?"  
  
"You're giving me a headache," the teen mumbled. She patted his shoulder. "It'll be all over soon. We'll be at the airport in about fifteen minutes."  
  
"Will I be working directly for this Takatori guy or will I be working for Estet?"  
  
"You'll be working as Takatori's bodyguard, and he will give you orders. But if orders come in from Estet, they take precedence."  
  
"Right."  
  
Julia swerved into the airport parking lot, abandoning the car there. She pulled Schuldig from the car. They were just barely going to make the flight. The German cringed as his still battered body seemed to refuse to move, but he still felt himself being drug behind.  
  
"It'll be all over soon, Schuldig. I promise." Julia murmured. They got their tickets and they headed towards the gates.  
  
She stopped suddenly, frozen in place. Schuldig cocked an eyebrow. "You okay?"  
  
The young woman looked around her, trying to decipher what she was feeling. It was the flight, the plane, maybe. "We're skipping this flight." she said quietly.  
  
"Doshite?"  
  
"Call it intuition." Julia said. She connected her mind to the clerk, making him mark them as being on the plane. "Come on, let's get something to eat." she murmured. Schuldig's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded, following her.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Schuldig was pushing his food around on his plate and Julia was sipping on her coke, looking distracted. A new bulletin came on, announcing the crash of the plane. Julia sighed, and her phone rang.  
  
"That was our plane."  
  
Julia nodded and answered the phone. "What? Hi, Adrian. No, we weren't on the plane. It wasn't safe. No. We'll be there later. We may have to take a train. Yeah. Ja."  
  
Brad also heard the report, and his heart seized in his chest. That plane was headed for Tokyo. He growled quietly as he started out the door. It didn't matter the consequences. He was going to go check on Schuldig. He had to be alive, or he would have had a vision. He had to be alive.  
  
  
  
Schuldig stared out the window of the restaurant. Julia drummed her fingers on the table. Something was going to have to change, fast.  
  
"Who was it?" Schuldig asked, gaze still fixed on the window. "Who tried to kill us?"  
  
"Geheim's people, no doubt. They probably aren't happy I killed him."  
  
  
  
Schuldig muttered a curse in German. "And do they know we missed that flight?"  
  
"No. I took care of that."  
  
"Good."  
  
  
  
Brad drove fast and furious through the pounding rain. He wasn't dead. He wasn't.  
  
Julia sat up in her chair. A familiar feeling was coming over her...someone she'd had a mental link with. She recognized it immediately. Brad. Brad had come for Schuldig. 


	9. Two Boys for Tokyo

Author's notes: This is a long chapter you guys, sorry about that. I just needed to get to a certain point. I didn't realize how far into the story the point was. ^^' Enjoy.  
  
Chapter Nine: Two Boys for Tokyo  
  
Brad Crawford entered the area with a half frightened look on his face. He spotted them and rushed over. Schuldig's eyes widened slightly.  
  
"Schuldig!" Brad cried.  
  
"Brad..." the young German whispered.  
  
/I knew you weren't dead./ Brad smiled. He wasn't dead. They hadn't lost.  
  
Schuldig glared back at Julia, realization hitting him of what she had done.  
  
"I didn't think you would see him again." Julia said simply.  
  
"You just said that you thought.... next year...." Schuldig stumbled over his words.  
  
"If he had been alive, he would have."  
  
  
  
Schuldig's glare hardened. "Did you think he wouldn't live?" he demanded.  
  
"He had a very slim chance." Julia said evenly. "I had all the chance in the world. I told him we'd see each other again." Brad murmured.  
  
Schuldig grinned. His grin soon turned downward to a frown. "How did you get away from Rosenkreuz?"  
  
"I drove." Brad replied.  
  
"Obviously, but I doubt they just let you go."  
  
Brad shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. It was a hassle getting the car."  
  
Schuldig narrowed his eyes and entered his friend's mind. It was obvious he wasn't going to get any strait answers verbally.  
  
The American muttered a foreign explicative and shot his guards up. "For heaven's sake, Schuldig, are you never going to learn?"  
  
The guard was unexpected and the young German stumbled back slightly. "Give me a strait answer, then."  
  
"I took the car by force. Gun force, if you have to know." Brad hissed. Julia noticed that underlying his feelings of panic and relief was pain.  
  
"Why'd you do something so stupid? They could have hurt you or worse."  
  
"Because I didn't have a vision of the plane crashing, that's why. I had to make sure my mind wasn't completely skewered."  
  
Schuldig smiled slightly. "Thanks. How'd you get out of there without them hurting you?"  
  
"I have good reflexes." he replied distantly.  
  
Julia sighed. This was just great. There was no way on earth she could send him back. He'd be shot -again- on the spot. Which meant she had to take them both to Tokyo.  
  
"So now what?" the golden eyed teen asked.  
  
Julia kept her gaze on Brad as she answered. "We go to Tokyo. As quickly as we possibly can."  
  
Schuldig grinned. He then stopped as he looked back at his friend, pain etched into his face, though barely visible. "Brad?"  
  
Brad smiled at the younger boy. "Yeah?" Wouldn't let it show, couldn't let it show. It didn't matter now.  
  
"Daijoubu?"  
  
"Hai. Daijoubu." he answered, putting as much enthusiasm in it as he could.  
  
Julia stood, leaving a check on the table. "We'll take the train. It'll be safer. If we crash, we'll be on the ground."  
  
Schuldig nodded towards her and then looked back. "Don't lie to me," the young teen said quietly.  
  
Brad watched him and the words echoed through his mind. /I was shot./ he finally whispered.  
  
/How bad?/ his thoughts came quickly, worried.  
  
/I think I was just clipped. Nothing major./ he replied. Julia walked two steps behind the boys, keeping her eyes and ears open.  
  
Schuldig nodded slightly, satisfied for the moment. /Have you ever been to Japan?/  
  
/Yes, twice. Have you?/ Brad asked, fiddling with one of the buttons on his coat.  
  
The young German shook his head. /Nope, and don't know much of the language either. Oh well, I'll get the hang of it pretty quick. Anything has to be easier than English./  
  
Brad smiled. /It's not that hard once you get used to it./ Julia stopped. "Boys, this way. We'll take the tram to the train station."  
  
/I think I could speak it if my accent weren't so strong,/ he replied, turning with Julia. "Won't people be after you? From Rosenkreuz?" he whispered.  
  
Brad shook his head with a grimace. "I don't think so. Not for a while."  
  
As they climbed onto the tram, Schuldig looked back behind them, then turned to his friend. /What do you see in our future, Herr Clairvoyant?/  
  
/Different things. Changes in us, for us. We should make the train okay./ he replied.  
  
/What kind of changes?/  
  
Brad frowned. /We're going to...you're going to have to get used to the idea of killing people, you know. That's what assassins do./  
  
/I just don't want to end up like Geheim./ he whispered mentally.  
  
/You won't. You could never be like that. We'll have to keep each other in check, ne?/ Brad said.  
  
Julia caught his gaze and opened a mental link to him. /How bad were you injured, exactly?/ she asked. She had the feeling there was more than he was sharing.  
  
Schuldig sighed quietly as he leaned against one of the poles in the tram. His ribs hurt.  
  
/It was just a clip./ Brad answered her, fiddling with one of his buttons again.  
  
/Then why can't you take his pain?/ Julia asked quietly. He started and glared at her.  
  
The young German's gold eyes fixed on his two companions. He reached out, trying to find out what was going on between them.  
  
Both Julia and Brad glared at him. "I really wish you wouldn't do that." Brad muttered. He looked back at Julia. /Maybe I just hadn't offered yet./  
  
/Maybe you'll pass out if you do./ She replied.  
  
"I really despise being left in the dark," the green-blond haired teen muttered.  
  
"It's perfectly light in here." Brad retorted quietly. He set up a mental shield, disconnecting his link from Julia.  
  
Schuldig glared slightly. "That's not what I meant, and you know it," he muttered.  
  
"I know." Brad agreed. The tram came to a stop. "We get off here." Julia said.  
  
The German followed after them and came up behind Brad. "What's going on?" he whispered.  
  
"With what?" Brad whispered back.  
  
"I'm not entirely sure, and that's the problem."  
  
Brad shrugged. "There's nothing the matter." Julia stepped into a ticket window and began finding out times and docks.  
  
Schuldig pulled his friend back. "Bull," he muttered. "There's something you're not telling me. I don't know what it is, and I'd like to know."  
  
Crawford patted his back. "There's nothing. Let's just hope she finds a train, ne? I'm sure she'll get one....there." He pointed. And sure enough, Julia returned with tickets for that train.  
  
Schuldig looked up at his friend, nodded and turned to Julia. "So when do we leave?"  
  
Julia checked her watch. "About an hour. We have time to look around. We should probably get you looked at, Schuldig. I don't want you in any unnecessary pain."  
  
"I'm okay," the young German answered.  
  
"Your ribs hurt." Brad said flatly.  
  
"Not too bad. Don't worry about me."  
  
"Are you sure? It's not problem." Julia said.  
  
"I'm sure," he answered with a smile. "Brad's the one that's been shot today." He looked at his friend out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"I told you it was a scratch." He said with a glare.  
  
/No need to get defensive,/ the young teen responded.  
  
Brad ignored it.  
  
"Well, we can look around the shops then, if you like. Or we can sit for an hour." Julia said.  
  
Schuldig shrugged, suddenly seeming distant. "Doesn't matter to me."  
  
Julia tossed him some bills. "Why don't you go look for some sunglasses or something, then? You might need them later."  
  
Schuldig nodded and started down the hall. He glanced back to see if the dark haired American was following.  
  
He wasn't. Brad watched him go, but did not follow. When he was out of sight, Julia grabbed his arm and hauled him to a bench. "Open your coat." she demanded. Reluctantly he did so. The bottom half of his shirt was soaked through with blood. "Jeeze, yeah, that's a scratch all right." Julia groaned.  
  
Brad glared slightly. "I don't want him to worry about me."  
  
"It would be better for him to worry than to know he couldn't trust you to tell the truth. Trust me, when you have a partner, no matter how much you want to protect them from every little thing, you can't. It just doesn't work that way." Julia said softly. "Now button it back up." Brad buttoned his coat and stared blankly in the direction Schuldig had gone.  
  
Schuldig walked aimlessly, looking around. Sunglasses, eh? He frowned and sat down on a bench, his ribs aching. He wrapped his arms around his ribcage and groaned softly. Things would get better from here, he reminded himself.  
  
Brad settled back on the bench Julia shoved him onto as she window shopped within sight. He closed his eyes and searched for Schuldig's mind.  
  
The younger German picked up his name. He also picked up on the pain. /Ne, Brad, you all right?/  
  
/I wanted to apologize./ the oracle thought quietly.  
  
/It's okay,/ the younger boy answered.  
  
/I lied, you know./  
  
/About what?/  
  
/The scratch./ he replied with a grim smile.  
  
Schuldig stood, regretting it suddenly. /How bad?/ he demanded, keeping the pain down as he sank back to his seat, unable to go towards his friend.  
  
/Forgive me if I do something selfish, ne, Schuldig?/  
  
/Sure./  
  
Brad wrapped his shields around Schuldig's mind and drained all the pain from the younger boy. He grit his teeth as he pulled the last of it into his body, but he didn't say anything.  
  
Schuldig sighed and stood again, making his way toward where he'd left his friend. /Thank you. Now how was that selfish?/  
  
Brad actually smiled as he drew in a deep breath. /Because I wanted you over here, and the only way to do that was to take the pain away./  
  
Schuldig grinned. /Ya coulda just asked. I'd have come./  
  
/Make it easier for you./ he said quietly.  
  
/You never answered my question earlier. How bad was the scratch?/  
  
  
  
/Let's call it more of a slash, shall we?/  
  
/How bad?/  
  
/I don't think it did damage. It's just bleeding, that's all./  
  
/That in itself can do damage,/ Schuldig responded.  
  
/No, really?/  
  
"Yeah, really," the German's accented voice came from behind the raven haired American,  
  
"So glad I have you around to tell me these things," Brad murmured.  
  
The German grinned as he plopped down next to him. "Is there any way I can take some of your pain away?" he asked.  
  
Brad shot him a sideways look. "Absolutely not."  
  
"Why? You've done it for me plenty of times."  
  
"That's the point. What fun would it be for me if you could do everything I could do?"  
  
Schuldig grinned. "But what fun is it for you to sit there in pain?"  
  
Brad leaned his head back against the top of the bench and shut his eyes. "Maybe I can just sleep for an hour or so."  
  
Schuldig touched his shoulder, ignoring his earlier comment about not trying, and gave taking his pain away his best shot.  
  
Brad realized what he was trying to do and jerked away. "Confound it, Schuldig, it's fine the way it is."  
  
Schuldig shoulders slumped. "Why are you always trying to help me, but when you need it you reject it?"  
  
"Because that's the way it's always been. I've never needed anyone, and no one ever needed me." Brad said quietly.  
  
"I need you," Schuldig said quietly. "You're the first real friend I've had since I was seven."  
  
Brad fiddled with the button on his coat. "It may be easy for you to admit it. But I've never...no one's ever...I can't..."  
  
/You can't what?/ the young German's thoughts filled his head.  
  
The American met his eyes and for once in his life had no idea what to say. /I can't say it, because when I say it everything's ripped away./ Brad shifted his gaze. /I don't know how to hold on to things like friendship./  
  
/I guess you do what you've been doing,/ Schuldig responded.  
  
/I guess so. I'm sorry./  
  
Schuldig smiled and sunk down into his chair. /My offer still stand to take some of the pain from you. I don't know how much I can handle, but I can still try./  
  
/I really rather you didn't./  
  
/Give me a good reason why not./  
  
/Because I don't want you to./ He said, trying to sound firm.  
  
"That's an answer?"  
  
"It's my reason. That should be good enough."  
  
Schuldig's shoulders slumped slightly. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked quietly. I  
  
The American hesitantly reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah. It'll be okay."  
  
"It will or you will?" the young telepath asked.  
  
"Oh, Schuldig." Crawford sighed. "Do you have to pick it apart?" He checked his watch. "We'll be leaving in a half hour."  
  
Schuldig grinned. "Yes I do have to pick things apart or something will get by me."  
  
"Let it get by you, ne? The world won't fall apart." Brad said.  
  
"Mine will."  
  
Irritation briefly flashed through the dark blue eyes, but it was gone as soon as it had come. Brad said nothing, choosing to twist the button between his fingers.  
  
Schuldig looked away, pain slowly seeping back to his ribs. Brad couldn't keep it away forever...  
  
Brad closed his eyes as he felt his grip slipping away. He mentally cursed himself. He was just tired. So very tired.  
  
Julia smirked at the two and dropped a pair of red-tented sunglasses into Schuldig's lap. "I had a feeling you would be back here before you found anything."  
  
Brad heard Schuldig thank Julia, but it sounded fuzzy. He hoped that meant he was falling asleep. Idly he wondered what Schuldig needed with sunglasses in Germany anyway. It wasn't like Florida.  
  
Golden eyes focused on the dark haired young man. "Ne, Brad? Daijoubu?"  
  
"Hmmm." He replied from somewhere far away. He was glad the voices weren't there anymore. He didn't know how Schuldig had put up with it for so long.  
  
"Daijoubu?" the young teen repeated.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Brad muttered. There was still that voice. He somehow knew he'd be hearing that voice for a long, long, time.  
  
Schuldig took one more glance at him, thinking about entering his mind again. His shields wouldn't be strong enough to push him back, the young German thought.  
  
Julia shook her head and checked her watch. They couldn't miss that train. She had a feeling about it. It would be bad news for all of them if they didn't get on that train.  
  
Schuldig ventured into his friend's mind, trying to find out if he truly was all right. He was careful not to let him know of his presence. Or at least he hoped he was careful enough.  
  
If Brad noticed, he ignored it. He was to tired to even bother putting any shields up. He was too tired to even care if Schuldig dug around in his whole life up there.  
  
A frown crossed the golden-eyed teen's face, but he left his friend's mind and laid his head back.  
  
/Find anything interesting?/ Brad mustered up the energy to ask.  
  
/Of course./  
  
/Good. I'd hate to think I was a complete bore after all./  
  
/You gonna make it onto the train?/  
  
/Of course./  
  
/Then you better get up. Julia looks a little rushed./  
  
"Ah." Brad murmured.  
  
Schuldig stood and extended his hand to help the raven-haired young man up.  
  
Brad watched the hand for a minute before reaching up and grasping it. "Arigato." he whispered.  
  
Schuldig nodded and pulled him up, feeling pain coming from his ribs. He ignored it as he followed Julia.  
  
Brad walked behind them and an image flashed through his head. This place was going to be packed with people trying to make the late night train in about two minutes.  
  
Schuldig looked toward him. "What did you see?"  
  
"How did you know I saw something?" Brad asked.  
  
"Your eyes go blank for a second."  
  
Brad frowned. He'd have to work on that. "People. Lots of them. They're all going to try to make the train."  
  
"Then we'll have to get there first," Julia stated.  
  
They had reached the right platform. Brad had been a little off on his timing, and people surged into the station. The crowds immediately pushed their group apart. Julia reached the train and got on the ladder to try and see where the boys had wound up.  
  
Schuldig tried not to yelp as someone bumped into him, renewing the pain, and worsening it as well.  
  
Brad had lost sight of Schuldig, but heard him cry out. "Schuldig!" he shouted. He was jostled by the crowd, away from where the voice had been. "Schuldig!"  
  
The young telepath heard his friend's voice, but couldn't focus on it. He couldn't pass out. Not here. Not with all the people around him. They had to get onto that train and leave all this behind.  
  
Brad was getting frantic. He still couldn't see the green-blond hair. "Schuldig! Focus on me!" He barked. He grimaced as someone bumped into him.  
  
  
  
/I'm trying,/ came the weak reply.  
  
Julia had spotted the raven haired American and shouted. "Brad! This way! You have to get on the train! Where is Schuldig?"  
  
"Schuldig! Keep talking to me!" he yelled. People gave him strange looks as they passed. The train whistle blew.  
  
Schuldig fell to his knees, pain quickly becoming unbearable.  
  
Brad saw it happen in his mind's eye, but couldn't locate the German. /Schuldig! Come on, where are you? Focus on me./ Julia watched him shove through the crowd trying to find the telepath.  
  
/I can't... I'm sorry. Just go on./  
  
/I'm not leaving you here. I won't. Where are you? What does it look like around you?/  
  
/People. Lots of people./  
  
Brad muttered a curse out loud. /You choose now to be sarcastic?/ the train's second bell rang. They weren't going to make it.  
  
Schuldig stumbled to his feet. /I see you,/ he said quietly.  
  
Brad's gaze darted around the ocean of people, trying to locate him. /Say something./  
  
"Brad!" Schuldig called over, regretting it as soon as he did.  
  
/I've got you./ Brad said immediately. There he was, about fifteen feet away from him.  
  
Schuldig groaned as he felt darkness beginning to close in around him. It hurt so badly now.  
  
Brad could see it coming. Schuldig wasn't going to hold it together much longer. The American fought his was towards him. They could still make it.  
  
Schuldig felt arms hold him up just as he thought he was going to pass out. He looked up to see his friend. /Are we going to make it there?/  
  
He held Schuldig against him, looking back towards the train. They could still make it. They had to make it, because if they didn't, Geheim's people would get them before they got another chance.  
  
The raven-haired young man half carried, half walked beside his friend and they reached the place where Julia was standing. At that moment, a shot rang out in the hall. 


	10. Mission: Impossible Train Ride

Author's notes: Ya'll are lucky to get this chapter. I edited it once and my computer ate it. ^^ zzzzzzzz... Why I do this so late at night I will never fathom. Again, thanks for the reviews!!! *glomps all reviewers* Maybe, as a treat, I'll get three chapters up today (Tuesday) seeing as how it's my b-day and all. I'm older than Nagi now! I feel accomplished. ^^ Enjoy, and pray that my computer doesn't eat any more of my editings. -_- ^^  
  
Chapter Ten: Mission: Impossible Train Ride  
  
Brad and Schuldig tensed, and the people around the screamed. Some of them ran, some of the dropped to the floor, and some of them stood there. Julia looked around to try and locate the source of the gunfire.  
  
Schuldig looked back behind him. "There," he whispered, pointing to a man standing with a gun.  
  
"Get on the train." Julia ordered, almost inaudibly.  
  
Brad dragged his friend behind him, sitting him down in the nearest seat and plopping down next to him.  
  
"The train won't move with that gunman out there," Schuldig said. Julia stepped off the train, taking out her gloc. She had known they would come.  
  
Schuldig grimaced as he watched Julia. This couldn't be good.  
  
/Schuldig, you up for a little mind control?/ Julia called out, keeping her face neutral.  
  
/Sure thing. Just tell me what you need me to do,/ the young German responded.  
  
/I need you to locate the conductor of the train. You've got to get that train out of here, you understand me?/  
  
/Ja./ Schuldig closed his eyes, ignored his pain, and focused on the frighten man in front. Panic made his job so much easier. A few seconds later, the train was put in motion.  
  
/Get on, Julia. We're leaving,/ Schuldig called mentally.  
  
As the train began to pull away from the dock, she fired off three rounds at different men in black suits. She hopped on. The men were following.  
  
Schuldig sensed something was going wrong and stood, regretting the hastened action as soon as he did so. Everything started to spin and he sat back down.  
  
Crawford stared out the window. There were seven of them out there. Five of them were going to make it on the train. He carefully leaned over and pulled his pant leg up, pulled out a gun from an ankle holster, and sat back in the seat.  
  
"What's going to happen?" the blond-green haired teen asked from the seat next to him.  
  
Brad checked his ammo and cursed under his breath. He only had four bullets left. "We've got one more battle to fight before we get out of Germany." he said.  
  
Schuldig noticed his friend's gun and smirked slightly. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a slightly smaller one. "I wasn't entirely unprepared for this," he mumbled as he stood once more, much slower this time. "What the plan?"  
  
"We wait. Surprise them. Two injured kids and woman, they can't think we can do much damage." Julia joined them in the car. "We're not going to get out of this easily, are we?"  
  
Brad shook his head negative. "Where are they going to come from?" the younger teen asked.  
  
"Everywhere."  
  
Schuldig growled a low curse in German as his senses jumped to life. This would not be easy.  
  
Brad's eyes scanned the car. There were only a few other people in it, since most of the passengers were still on the platform, sacred to death. He closed his eyes. Three of them were in other cars, making their way towards them. The other two...he couldn't locate them.  
  
Schuldig's eyes caught a glimpse of metal shining in one of the passengers' hands. "Brad...."  
  
Brad whirled around and fired one direct, clear shot. The man fell to the floor. "Three left." he said grimly. "Here or out there?"  
  
"Bullets."  
  
Schuldig cocked his own gun. He'd never actually used it, but he assumed now was as good a time as any to learn.  
  
"Tell me you know how to aim and fire it." Brad said warily.  
  
Schuldig glared back at him. "I can aim as well as you," he growled.  
  
  
  
/No need to get defensive./ Brad retorted.  
  
Julia's eyes were riveted to the ceiling. If she listened closely...  
  
Schuldig closed his eyes, searching for a mind. "There!" he shouted. Bullets filled the small isle.  
  
The three scattered, ducking behind other seats. The few other passengers screamed and also took cover. "The other two must be on the roof of the train," Brad muttered.  
  
"Is there a way to get to them?" the German teen asked.  
  
"Yes. But there are still two on the train. You and Julia stay here. I'll take care of the ones on the roof." Brad said, heading for one of the doors.  
  
"Nein(sp?)" Schuldig answered, grabbing his wrist. "I'll take care of them. I have more bullets than you do so I'll need less back up." That said he grinned and headed out.  
  
Brad reached to stop him, but Julia took his arm. "Let him go." she murmured in English. "We have two to take care of ourselves."  
  
Schuldig climbed up to the top of the train, his ribs protesting every inch of the way. He saw one of the men in front and fired.  
  
Julia fired two shots, and a third member went down. That left one man up, and one man in the car. She looked over at Brad and noticed his eyes were blank. She waved a hand in front of him. "Hellooo....Brad?"  
  
Schuldig stopped as he felt pressure against his back. "Raise your hands slowly and don't try anything," a low voice said. Schuldig shuddered slightly, then a smirk crossed his face. He closed his eyes in concentration, digging into the man's mind. There had to be something there he could use against him.  
  
Julia pushed a strand of silver-white hair out of her face as Brad snapped back to reality. She noticed his body was shaking. "Where's Schuldig?" he whispered.  
  
"On the top, where he's suppose to be," the young woman answered.  
  
The American seized the top of one of the seats in a death grip. "The second one, the one down here, he's not down here any more..."  
  
Schuldig continued to concentrate hard on the mind of the man behind him. He found what he was looking for and smirked.  
  
Brad pulled himself up the ladder on the side of the train. It was harder than he thought it would be, now that the train was moving at a rather fast pace. But he couldn't quit now.  
  
Schuldig felt the connection snap, almost painfully, and the man grabbed his shirt collar. "I told you not to try anything.," he hissed.  
  
The second man joined him, approaching them from the front. "You got him, huh?" he called to his comrade. Brad pulled himself onto the roof of the train, unseen by the three on top.  
  
Schuldig's eyes widened. He cursed in German and struggled to free himself.  
  
"Just kill him and be done with it." The second man said, lighting a cigarette. "That's what we're here for." Brad stood shakily. Over his dead body.  
  
Golden eyes locked with blue ones briefly. A smirk crossed his pale features.  
  
The man holding Schuldig dug the gun harder into his back and cocked it. "Prepare to die, brat."  
  
Brad leveled his gun.  
  
Schuldig cringed slightly at the sound of a gun going off, but quickly realized he wasn't dead as the grip on his shirt loosened and the man behind him fell.  
  
His companion was smarter and quicker. He shoved Schuldig, sending him toppling to the roof and drew on Brad, firing four shots. Brad fired once, and fell to his knees with the shaking of the train. He only had one bullet left.  
  
His younger companion tried to latch on to anything, trying to keep from sliding off of the train. /BRAD!/  
  
There wasn't going to be enough time, and Brad's heart twisted inside him. He stood again and lunged at the man, taking him down onto the roof. One good shot, all he needed was one good shot. Geheim's lackey still had three bullets left though, and fired twice as the American came at him.  
  
Schuldig got his footing and sat up, grabbing for his gun he'd dropped.  
  
The two men rolled, teetering dangerously close to the edge of the train. Neither man was willing to let the other go, both determined to win.  
  
  
  
/Brad, is there any way to get away from him and give me a clear shot?/  
  
Somehow, the man heard it to. "No!" he snarled. He pitched them both to the side, sending them both towards the edge.  
  
"BRAD!" Schuldig called. He edged his way over towards them as quickly as he could.  
  
They were going over, he could see it coming. The man kneed Brad in the stomach, causing him to cry out. He shoved the gun against the man and fired. The man's eyes went blank and he fell over the edge, grabbing Brad's coat as he went. Brad yelped and grabbed the side of the train.  
  
Schuldig grabbed his friend's wrist, trying to balance himself as he did so. "Hang on," he strained, pulling back with all his weight.  
  
Brad grabbed the side with his other hand as Schuldig pulled on him, trying to push himself up as much as he could. "Wasn't planning on letting go," he gasped.  
  
The smaller teen finally pulled his friend over the side and found himself lying on the top of the train, ribs aching.  
  
The American lay next to him, gasping. His stomach hurt with a flaming intensity. "Daijoubu?" he asked.  
  
/I'm not quite sure at the moment.../  
  
/We're alive, ne?/  
  
/Ja.... alive./ Schuldig rolled to his side, a coughing fit making his ribs hurt more. /Doesn't it end?/ he demanded more to himself than to his friend, but didn't have the strength to keep his own thoughts in his own head.  
  
Brad stared at the sky as the world flew by. "No. It never does." he whispered.  
  
Schuldig sighed as he struggled to his knees. /I suppose the better place for us would be inside, ne?/  
  
"If you can move, have fun."  
  
Schuldig sat next to his friend. "Can you?"  
  
"I don't feel like trying, to be honest with you."  
  
Schuldig laughed slightly. "You going to be okay?"  
  
"Everything heals with time, I've been told." Brad replied, still staring at the night sky above them.  
  
The young German stretched out by his friend. "My head hurts," he whispered.  
  
Brad reached out and touched his temple. He closed his eyes and began to touch their minds together.  
  
"Don't you dare try to take the pain. You're in enough as it is," the younger teen mumbled tiredly.  
  
"Just trust me." He began pulling Schuldig's pain away, bit-by-bit.  
  
Schuldig sighed and relaxed. "Don't hurt yourself."  
  
Brad smiled and continued relieving his younger friend's mind. He found that when Schuldig didn't hurt, he didn't hurt as much either.  
  
The green-blond haired teen yawned and curled up slightly. "Don't fall asleep out here, boys," Julia called from the opening to the roof.  
  
"Why not? There's nothing left out here to hurt us. We're lying perpendicular to the train, so I don't think we'll be fall off." Brad replied.  
  
She smirked. "I think we've lost Schuldig for the night," she whispered as she knelt down next to the sleeping German.  
  
"Leave him be then. He needs to sleep." Brad murmured. "I'll take care of him," he added.  
  
"I'm awake..." came the mumbled reply from the German.  
  
Julia smoothed his bangs back. "You really should come inside. We got a private car. I'd hate to have you two come this far and find one of you missing in the morning."  
  
/We can stay here just fine./ Schuldig complained.  
  
/Not in a safe position, unless he holds you all night. I don't think he can roll./ she replied.  
  
The teen groaned as his eyes slid open slowly, glaring slightly at the woman above him.  
  
"It's an option, if he's willing," she said with a grin.  
  
Schuldig glared again and shoved himself to his knees, finding himself falling weakly back to them.  
  
Brad stood and leaned down for Schuldig. "Come on, let's get some sleep, ne?"  
  
Schuldig yelped slightly as his older friend scooped him up. Exhaustion took over, voices filled is head, and the last thing he remembered was his eyes rolling back as he passed out.  
  
Julia led the American to the private car that they had. Brad laid Schuldig down on one of the beds and sank wearily beside him. Julia motioned for him to come into the bathroom so she could clean his wounds up. "We'll take care of Schuldig in the morning." she whispered. He nodded, glancing back at the green-blond haired boy.  
  
Julia pulled out something to clean and wrap the young American's wound and nodded for him to sit. He did so.  
  
She pulled off his coat and shirt, shaking her head at the amount of blood the young man had lost. "You're a lucky boy, Crawford. Another hour and you could have bled to death." she murmured, wiping the blood away from the wound.  
  
He cringed and laid his head back, closing his eyes.  
  
"You fight hard for him, ne, Crawford? You only met him a week ago." She said, half to herself as she applied disinfectant. The bullet had gone through, and she assumed that if he hadn't dropped dead by now there was no major internal damage.  
  
"I suppose I do," he whispered.  
  
She wrapped gauze around the small hole in his skin, wishing that he would see a doctor for it later, but knowing he probably wouldn't. "You'll do fine in Tokyo. I'm sure of it." she said with a smile.  
  
"Will I go with you and Schuldig?"  
  
Julia sighed and leaned against the sink. "I really hadn't planned on two of you. But we don't have a choice now. I won't send you back. I won't send him back. So you'll both go."  
  
/Brad?/ a quiet whisper came from the other room  
  
Brad lifted his head. /Yeah?/ he called back.  
  
There was silence for a moment as the young telepath gathered his thoughts, looked at his surroundings, and sorted out just what had happened.  
  
/Daijoubu?/  
  
/Ja,/ came the hesitant reply.  
  
/You need anything?/  
  
/Nein, sorry. Have I been out long?/  
  
/About fifteen minutes. Go back to sleep./  
  
/Are you okay?/  
  
/Hai. Go back to sleep, Schu./  
  
/Okay,/ the younger teen whispered as he drifted off.  
  
"Stay with him, ne? I'm going to make a quick check of the train, then I'll be back." Julia said softly as she stood. Brad nodded.  
  
The young American sat down in the chair next to the bed that Schuldig lay on. The German teen was sleeping fitfully.  
  
Brad reached over and smoothed his bangs back. /You're safe now,/ he thought.  
  
Schuldig seemed to relax with the contact of the older boy. When Brad removed his hand, he began trembling once more. His eyes opened slightly. "Why won't they ever go away?" he mumbled.  
  
/Because it is your gift and curse to hear them./ Brad replied gently. /Can I make it better for you?/ he asked.  
  
Schuldig looked up at him. His eyes were frightened and pain filled. /I.../  
  
/What? Tell me what I can do. Anything./ Brad said, worry etching his face.  
  
The young teen did not respond as he fought back a verbal scream. Why were they overwhelming him now, he didn't know.  
  
Brad moved to sit on the bed next to him and took the smaller boy's hand. It was the shields again. There had to be some way of getting rid of this.  
  
The German relaxed once more, eyes still closed., head pounding.  
  
Brad gently scooted the boy over and lay down next to him. "It'll get better," he whispered.  
  
"When?" the golden-eyed boy responded.  
  
/I don't know. But it will end./  
  
Schuldig nodded, a movement barely caught by the elder boy. "I was dreaming about them before I woke," he whispered.  
  
"The voices?" Brad asked. Couldn't the kid even sleep without their presence?  
  
"Nein," the teen whispered. "They were beginning to seep in, but I wasn't dreaming about them."  
  
"What were you dreaming about?"  
  
"My parents." The words were barely audible.  
  
"What did you dream about your parents?" Brad whispered.  
  
"Their death..." Schuldig shuddered.  
  
"I'm sorry." The American sighed quietly.  
  
Schuldig smiled slightly, though not a humorous one. "Not your fault."  
  
"It is. I could have stopped him from making you remember."  
  
"What happened did happen. Doesn't matter if I remember it or not. I use to dream about it anyway."  
  
"You weren't responsible for it." Brad said.  
  
"I was," Schuldig answered, sitting up in bed and looking away. "And my mother knew I would do it."  
  
"Your mother knew she would have a strong son that she would love, no matter what it cost her. Your life meant so much more. She knew that. She could have stopped it."  
  
"Should have."  
  
"She loved you very much."  
  
Schuldig pulled his knees to his chest and placed his chin on them. "I wonder, sometimes, if my father even knew that I would kill him."  
  
"I don't think your mother would have kept something like that from him."  
  
"He would have killed me, I think," Schuldig said, distantly. "I wonder why he didn't."  
  
"I'm glad he never had the chance." Brad said, half to himself.  
  
"What would have happened to you if you'd never met me? Wouldn't it have been easier?"  
  
Brad curled his lip. "Easier isn't' always better. I'm willing to pay in blood for the things I need."  
  
Schuldig glanced back at his friend. "Doshite? Why do I suddenly mean so much to you? I didn't seem to when we met."  
  
Brad looked away. "I have to have a reason, ne?" he asked.  
  
"Most people have to have something in it for them to help someone else."  
  
"Maybe it's because no one's ever cared if I lived or died before and meant it. You're in it, so I help you. Call it fate, or whatever, some things are just supposed to happen. Like our friendship."  
  
Schuldig grinned. "Did you know you quiet them?"  
  
Brad looked back at him, startled. "Quiet them?"  
  
"The voices that scream in my head day in and day out."  
  
Brad half smiled. "I quiet them?"  
  
"Maybe an organized mind quiets the chaotic one, ne?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
The train came to a sudden stop and Schuldig found himself sprawled on the floor at the foot of the bed. "What the..."  
  
Brad had toppled off the side of the bed to the floor. "Just wonderful. What next?" he muttered.  
  
There was no answer from the young German. His eyes had gone blank and he seemed lost to the outside world.  
  
A sense of panic crept over the oracle. He had not seen this coming. He crawled over and knelt in front of Schuldig. "Schuldig?" he asked.  
  
The young telepath trembled slightly, eyes still vacant. His eyes then lit back up, a pained expression crossing through them and he let out a scream, pitching forward. Brad caught him. The young teen tasted blood on his lips. /They've got a very strong telekinetic working with them,/ he mentally whispered.  
  
He stared down at him, shock on his face. What kind of telekinetic could be that powerful? And hadn't they killed the five already? He wiped the blood on Schuldig's lip away with his thumb. "This is just great. What happened to getting out of Germany?" he growled.  
  
/Maybe we're out?/ Schuldig mentally whispered, fighting back a coughing fit. Whatever the telekinetic had done was powerful.  
  
/I don't think so. Not yet. But we will be, so help me./  
  
Schuldig coughed, trembling. He growled something in German and closed his eyes.  
  
Brad held him closer and stretched his mind to shield his. They hadn't come this far to be murdered now.  
  
"Nein," the teen whispered. "Let me try to find him."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"If I can find his mind, Julia can take care of him, ne?"  
  
The American reluctantly relented, withdrawing his shields. He watched the younger boy carefully.  
  
Schuldig reached out, finding the telekinetic. "Found him," he whispered. As soon as the words left his mouth, the telekinetic struck again, causing the telepath to fall the to ground, coughing up more blood.  
  
Brad cursed under his breath and cradled Schuldig against him, throwing his shields back up. "Where? Where is he?"  
  
Schuldig swallowed hard and shuddered, unable to answer.  
  
He steadied the green-blonde head with one hand. /Come on, Schuldig. Stay with me. Where is he?/  
  
The German pulled his blood stained hand away from his mouth. /Two cars down,/ he managed. 


	11. Hey, Wait, He Was On Our Side!

Author's notes: I'm so sorry, you guys. I had stuff to upload yesterday, but they disabled doc. Manager for repair. _ I'll get as many chapters up today as possible. ^^  
  
Chapter Eleven: Hey Wait, He Was On Our Side!  
  
With his freehand, Brad pulled the bedspread down next to them and laid Schuldig on it. /I'll be back./  
  
Schuldig looked after him. /Be careful./  
  
/Am I ever anything but?/ Brad slipped into the hall, shutting the door to the private room behind him. They were two cars down, Schuldig had said.  
  
Schuldig curled up in a ball, locating his friend with his mind. He located the telekinetic as well. This person was strong...  
  
Brad was in the car next to the one that the telekinetic was in, and he could feel their presence. This wasn't a normal telekinetic, or a normal anything.  
  
A link opened from Julia. /Are you after him?/  
  
/Yes. I assume you are as well?/  
  
/Of course. Where's Schuldig? Safe?/  
  
/He's safe, yes. Do we have the element of surprise?/  
  
/I sure hope so. I have no idea what other...talents this kid has.?/  
  
/Do we know for sure it's a child?/  
  
/I'm not sure about anything. Not even his level of power./ She stopped. /Here we go./  
  
They were on the bridge outside between the cars, each with one hand on the door handle.  
  
The doors few open before they were ready. They looked to see a small child in the center. He glared darkly. "I've been told you tried to escape Rosenkreuz."  
  
"You have a talent for stating the fairly obvious." Brad said dryly.  
  
The young boy turned his icy glare on him. "You obviously don't understand quite what you have done."  
  
Brad smiled grimly. "I like to think of it as having a will to live. You can call it whatever you like."  
  
"I call it stupidity."  
  
"Good for you."  
  
Crawford felt a strong grip around his throat. "I thought you had more sense in you."  
  
"What do you want? And why is it such a crime to leave Rosenkreuz?" Brad gasped.  
  
"You've seen too much. Know too much. That's the way of Rosenkreuz. It's not all fun and games as it was the day be the pool."  
  
"You're really to young to have been so brainwashed, Nagi." Brad said. "You don't understand how it is in the real world. The world outside of being the freaks they make us out to be."  
  
"I've seen enough!" He stopped to regain his cold composure. "Where's the telepath?"  
  
"The telepath is none of your concern. He has nothing that could be of use to you. What are you going to do, Nagi? Kill us? You're going to start shedding blood at seven years old? You'll be dead before your eighteenth birthday, I guarantee it."  
  
Nagi glared. "I'm doing what needs to be done."  
  
Julia aimed at the child. "Get out of here, kid. You're in over your head." she warned quietly.  
  
Nagi smiled. A smile too cold for a boy his age. "I am a telekinetic, Julia-san. I can stop a bullet."  
  
Julia smiled darkly. "Technically, yes, you could."  
  
"I can also kill your friend from in here."  
  
"You kill him, I kill you, simple as that, little one. Believe me, it's possible. You wouldn't be the first telekinetic, and you wouldn't be the last."  
  
"He's pretty close to gone as it is."  
  
Julia lowered her weapon. "Give him air."  
  
Nagi released his grip. "I don't think you understand, Julia-san. I meant your other friend."  
  
/I thought you said he was safe./ Julia said, alarmed.  
  
Nagi smirked. "Now you're getting it."  
  
Crawford cursed and turned on the bridge outside the door. /Schuldig!/ Julia's mind whirled. This kid was smart.  
  
Schuldig lay on the floor, pale. Ghostly pale. His eyes were blank as he stared into an abyss of nothing.  
  
Nagi let Brad run, a smirk on his young features. "Fools." The boy said. Julia grit her teeth.  
  
"What did you do to that boy?" she demanded.  
  
"It's called air pressure. The lower it gets, the harder it is for people to breathe."  
  
Schuldig tensed when Brad touched his arm. /I can't breathe,/ he whispered mentally. He coughed again, staring up with pain filled eyes.  
  
Brad looked back towards the other car. /It's Nagi, Schuldig. I don't know how to stop him./  
  
"He'll die, you know," the Japanese boy said from the doorway.  
  
"Don't do this to him. You want a fight, I'll fight you. You want a sacrifice, I'll be it. Just leave him alone." Brad pleaded.  
  
"You'll be next."  
  
Brad closed his eyes and smiled. "And you'll be after us. They'll kill you as soon as you go back."  
  
"Why do you say that? I'm doing this for them."  
  
"You think they really care? You're just a puppet to do their dirty work. You're as expendable as the rest of us. I can see it." he spat the last part out at the boy.  
  
Nagi sank back, dark eyes widening slightly. He released his grip on the German teen, who relaxed and did not move otherwise."  
  
Brad rubbed Schuldig's arm. Julia came up behind them. "He knows, huh?" she asked.  
  
"Knows?" the American echoed.  
  
"That there's nothing special about working for Rosenkreuz."  
  
/He was bound to find out sooner or later,/ a weak thought entered her mind.  
  
She holstered her weapon and patted the shocked boy on the shoulder. "The question now is what to do with him."  
  
Schuldig slowly opened his eyes. /You seem to be gaining more and more people, ne, Frauline?/  
  
Julia rolled her eyes. "Yeah. If this keeps up I'll be taking the whole of Germany's youth back to Japan with me."  
  
"Japan?" Nagi questioned. "I'm not going back there."  
  
"You're not in a position to argue. You either go to Japan, you die here, or you die at Rosenkreuz." Julia replied.  
  
Nagi's shoulders sunk. "Abby told me not to go. I should have listened..."  
  
"Hai, you should have." The young woman said with a sigh. "I'm going to find a doctor on this train for Schuldig. You," she said to Nagi, "are coming with me."  
  
Schuldig was now sitting up, leaning against the bed. "I think I'm okay now."  
  
"Forget it. If you think you're going to get away without seeing someone, forget it. We'll be back."  
  
Schuldig and Crawford watched Julia leave with the young Japanese boy trailing behind. Schuldig let his head hang and he took a deep breath, wincing as he did so.  
  
Brad put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I can tell you I didn't see that one coming."  
  
"Something caught even you off guard, ne?"  
  
"Yeah. Even me." Brad sighed as he sat cross-legged next to the German.  
  
Schuldig leaned forward, hand flying to his chest. He grimaced.  
  
Brad automatically reached over, one hand on his back, the other hand catching the one against Schuldig's chest. "Hang on, she'll be back soon."  
  
/I'm all right. Just hurts a little./  
  
/I'm betting it hurts more than a little, unless you're immune to pain./  
  
Schuldig inhaled deeply, but shuddered as he exhaled. He brought his hands to his mouth as he coughed again.  
  
Brad rubbed Schuldig's back. He closed his eyes and looked into the future.  
  
Schuldig looked back at him. His eyes were blank. The young telepath frowned and concentrated on what his friend was seeing.  
  
Brad had known he would do that, and put up his mental shields, gently pushing Schuldig's mind away. It wasn't hard enough to give the boy a migraine, but enough to keep him out.  
  
The German's frown deepened. "Fine," he grumbled.  
  
Brad saw what he wanted to see, or rather he didn't see what he had feared would be there. They would be all right for the time being. "It's a personal thing, you know." he murmured.  
  
"I'd just like to know what's ahead of us. I don't like being left in the dark."  
  
"I know. You've told me that before. There's nothing ahead of us for the meantime. We're going to be all right."  
  
Schuldig smiled and laid his head back against the bed. "I just hope we don't get any more unexpected visitors."  
  
"I don't foresee it this time. But this time I'm looking."  
  
Schuldig nodded, then suddenly tensed. His eyes became frantic. "Nein..." he whispered. His friend gave him a strange look. "Jack... He...."  
  
"What? What are you hearing?" Brad asked.  
  
Schuldig muttered something in rapid German. He struggled to get up.  
  
The American kept him down. "Schuldig! Hey, focus here. What's the matter? What about Jack?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he whispered. "He was screaming... I heard his voice... Brad they're gonna kill him."  
  
Brad looked ahead, focusing on the man. His eyes widened briefly before he controlled his expression. Yes, they were going to kill him. There was nothing they could do about it.  
  
"Brad?" The young teen's voice was pleading. "He's all I have left... I never should have left him."  
  
"We can't go back Schuldig, we'll all get killed."  
  
"Will he live?"  
  
He had told him he wouldn't lie to him. "Iie."  
  
Schuldig shook uncontrollably. He rambled off German so quickly that the young American couldn't follow.  
  
Brad grabbed his shoulders. "Schuldig, slow down. Schuldig, there's nothing we can do. Schuldig..."  
  
"I can hear Amy screaming... He's gone, but she's still screaming." A tear rolled down his pale face. "It's one thing to hear the screams of people you don't know, but I know them. They raised me. I...."  
  
Just because, Brad closed his eyes again. It wasn't any use. Even if they could get off the train, they'd never make it back to the school in time. It just wouldn't happen.  
  
Schuldig eyes were wide with fear. "He's gone," he whispered in quiet German.  
  
"I know," Brad replied quietly. He wanted to shield Schuldig's mind from what was coming next, but he knew he'd never be forgiven.  
  
Schuldig paled. "Nein..."  
  
Brad watched him with pained eyes. He reached towards him in an offer of protection.  
  
Schuldig choked back a sob. "They can't," he whispered. "Nein. They can't.... Abby won't have anyone left..."  
  
"And she'll be like everyone else there," the oracle murmured.  
  
"Amy and Jack never did anything."  
  
"They didn't have to."  
  
Schuldig heard a final scream before the young nurse was silenced and the voices faded. He continued to stare strait ahead, unblinking. A cold look entered his eyes. "I'll go back there someday," he stated quietly. "I'll kill them."  
  
Crawford ran a hand over his eyes and stood. "I have no doubt."  
  
Schuldig pounded his fist into the floor. He glared ahead of him. "We're going to be trained to kill, ne?" he asked, a small smile forming on his lips.  
  
"You will be, yes."  
  
"And you?"  
  
Brad looked at him, his eyes hard, and face expressionless. "I'll only be practicing what I already know."  
  
Schuldig stood, ignoring the pain in his chest. "I'll follow you, ya know? To the ends of the earth."  
  
"Then I'll have to make sure we survive through everything to make it back from the ends of the earth." Brad replied honestly.  
  
A wide grin spread across the German's face, but it did not hold any of the delight in normally did. "Will you help me kill them?"  
  
There was a quiet pause. "Yes."  
  
The door opened and Julia reentered. "Lie down," she commanded toward Schuldig.  
  
An older man followed her into the room. "What seems to be the problem, young man?" he asked.  
  
"It's really nothing much. I feel fine now." Nagi slipped into the room from behind Julia. He eyed the two friends.  
  
"You should let him look you over." Brad said quietly, but firmly.  
  
Schuldig nodded. /Whatever you say, fearless leader,/ he responded.  
  
The American glared at him lightly. /Believe it./  
  
Schuldig sat down on the edge of the bed and allowed the doctor to check for any lasting damage.  
  
Nagi made his way over there. "Am I to stay with you?"  
  
Brad looked over at Schuldig, who didn't look happy about being poked by the doctor. /What do you think?/  
  
/I think I'm getting annoyed by this guy./ he answered with a frown.  
  
He rolled his eyes. /Ignore him, then. What about the boy?/  
  
/Oh, is that what you were talking about?/ Schuldig replied with a grin. /Your call./  
  
/Let's keep him around. He'd make a better ally than enemy./  
  
Crawford heard a mental laugh. /We have a chibi in our little group now./  
  
/A dangerous chibi, mind you./ He looked at the boy. "Yes. You'll stay with us." "That's what I was afraid you'd say." Julia muttered.  
  
"Crawford-san? You're clairvoyant, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, whether I like it or not. Why?"  
  
"Do you know if Abby and her family will be all right?"  
  
The two froze. /Would you hate me if I told him to ask you?/ Brad asked the German.  
  
/I don't think I'll ever hate you./  
  
Brad smiled briefly before meeting the younger boy's gaze. "Abby will be fine, Nagi. Just fine."  
  
"She was worried about her sister," Nagi pressured the original question about her family.  
  
"She won't have to worry anymore." Brad said.  
  
"Amy's dead." Schuldig's voice had an icy coldness to it.  
  
Brad shot him a glare. Nagi paled and stared at the green-blonde.  
  
Schuldig winced slightly as the doctor hit where it hurt. /It's just the truth. You were avoiding it,/ he told Brad.  
  
/He's seven years old. That's what you do with children. Or didn't you know?/ Brad replied. "Is he telling the truth?" Nagi whispered.  
  
"I don't lie," Schuldig responded as he stood.  
  
"No, he doesn't." Brad agreed.  
  
/I never got that when I was a kid, so no, I don't know,/ the telepath's answer sounded in Crawford's mind.  
  
/Well he won't know either, apparently./ Brad said. Julia leaned against the wall. "Jack's dead too, then. I can't feel him."  
  
"Ja," the German answered. The doctor walked over and began to talk to Julia. Schuldig turned to his friend. /He'll live through it. They died, not him. It can't do anything but make him stronger, ne?/  
  
/He's too young to be strong. It will just make him silent and hate the world and them as much as you do. And I suppose that's how it should be. Hating Rosenkreuz./  
  
/It's ironic. Estet is what sponsors places like Rosenkreuz, yet we work for them when we escape./  
  
/And one day, we'll take them right out from under their noses. That's ironic./  
  
Schuldig smiled. "So how long until we reach Japan?" he asked Julia.  
  
"We'll switch trains in Minsk, take a different train to Moscow, and catch a flight from there. All in all it will probably be a week. I don't feel safe taking a flight until we reach Russia."  
  
The German frowned. "A whole week?"  
  
"If you have a faster suggestion, I'm open." Julia said.  
  
Schuldig shrugged. Nagi tugged at his shirt. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"  
  
Brad snorted. He looked at Julia. "We should get off the train at Warsaw. It's only a day and a half from here. The flight will be safe."  
  
"I'm fine," Schuldig reassured the young boy. Nagi nodded. /I cared about them too,/ the boy heard echo in his head.  
  
Julia raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? If a plane crashes we have no hope."  
  
"Brad'll see that before it happens," Schuldig responded confidently.  
  
"It won't do us any good if we're already on the plane." Nagi said.  
  
Schuldig shrugged again. "Do whatever you want."  
  
Brad shook his head. "It's not that distant a future, thank you very much. We'll be fine. I personally don't want to be on this train for a whole week."  
  
"Well, if you'll excuse me," the doctor, seemingly forgotten, said, "I think there is really nothing I can do here."  
  
Julia looked over at him. "Thank you. He's not going to drop dead tomorrow, is he?"  
  
The doctor smiled. "No he won't. He should be fine."  
  
"Good. Thank you." Julia said. The doctor nodded and was gone.  
  
"Doctors have the most boring thoughts on the face of this earth," Schuldig stated.  
  
"Really? No juicy college stories, hmm?" Brad asked dryly.  
  
"I didn't WANT to go that deep. I was afraid I might get lost in all of it."  
  
Brad smirked. "Too many facts for that head of yours."  
  
Schuldig glared. "Too much English."  
  
"You can't speak English?" Nagi asked wondrously.  
  
"Not well, anyway."  
  
Nagi grinned. "Then I'm one step ahead of you."  
  
"But I know several other languages, chibi, so don't get ahead of yourself."  
  
"German and Japanese." Brad said.  
  
Schuldig glared.  
  
He smiled. "It's the truth, ne?" Julia's cell phone rang.  
  
"I can't help it if my accent's too strong to speak English. That's not my fault."  
  
"You just have to work on it. You can get it if you really tried." Brad said.  
  
"Hello, Adrian. Oh, you heard about them, did you? Yeah. We're alive. Oh, Adrian, we have a third one." She frowned. "I can't help that. I'm not sending them back." She looked startled and glanced at Schuldig. She switched to English. "That's ridiculous, Adrian. They'll make do, or I'll train them myself. Yeah. Me too. Ja."  
  
"What was that?" Schuldig asked.  
  
"Nothing." Julia said. "That man...I swear...we've been in this business too long." she sighed. "We're definitely taking that flight from Warsaw."  
  
"Why would you have to train us?"  
  
Nagi gave him a strange look. "You said you didn't understand English.  
  
"I said I didn't SPEAK English," the German responded.  
  
She stared at Schuldig. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? I'd have to train you if Takatori wouldn't pay to have it done." /or other things./ She mused.  
  
/What other things?/  
  
Julia closed her eyes and cursed mentally. /I swear.../  
  
/What other things?/ he repeated.  
  
/If Takatori is not willing to train you, you will be killed. Or I will train you myself. He wanted one, not three. But he's getting three anyway./  
  
Schuldig nodded and moved to the bed, sitting on the edge of it.  
  
/And the reason I say that is because Adrian told me you'd be the first./  
  
Schuldig closed his eyes. /Because my shields are weak?/  
  
/He didn't say, but I would assume so./  
  
/Then I'll show him how strong I can be./  
  
/I don't think that will be necessary. I'll talk to Takatori, convince him that it would be worth his while to have three instead of one./  
  
Nagi was looking between them, curiosity written on his face.  
  
Julia sank into the chair. "Business, chibi ichi." she said.  
  
"Will he take one as young as Nagi?" Schuldig asked.  
  
Julia eyed the boy. "I think so. He's strong for his age. If he's trained well, he'll be out of this world as an adult."  
  
"Yeah... strong...."  
  
She grinned. "You would know."  
  
"Ja," he answered, hand going to his chest.  
  
"Gomen nasai, Schuldig-kun." Nagi mumbled.  
  
Schuldig smirked. "Daijoubu," he answered.  
  
"I think we should all get some sleep." Brad suggested.  
  
"How many beds do we have, Julia?" Schuldig asked.  
  
"The two twin beds in here. I can check and see if I can get an extra room." she said.  
  
Nagi covered his mouth as he yawned. "Do you mind if I go on to bed?"  
  
"If they don't mind, I don't see why not. I'll be right back." Julia said.  
  
"Go ahead, chibi," Schuldig said. "Unless Brad cares."  
  
"Nope, go ahead." Brad agreed.  
  
Nagi nodded and climbed into the bed opposite of the one Schuldig was sitting on.  
  
"If she can't find one I'll sleep in the passenger car." Brad said, yawning.  
  
"I won't sleep much tonight anyway, so I don't care where I am," Schuldig stated.  
  
"You should sleep in a bed." Brad replied.  
  
"I won't sleep much tonight," he repeated.  
  
"You should have a bed." Brad repeated.  
  
"I really won't sleep that much. It's no big deal."  
  
They were still staring at each other when Julia came back in the room. She watched them for a moment before clearing her throat. "I hate to interrupt the war of the minds..."  
  
They both turned. "What?"  
  
"I was able to find one bed, if one of you wants to stay here and the other wants to take it."  
  
"You're going to need one, aren't you?" Schuldig asked.  
  
"I have business I can take care of. It's not that important."  
  
"I'll take the one in the other room then."  
  
Julia nodded. "Sleep tight, you guys. I'll show where it is, Schuldig."  
  
He nodded, following her out of the room. /Guess I'm taking a bed,/ he thought back at Crawford.  
  
/I told you so./ Brad retorted.  
  
/And I won't sleep much./  
  
/More than you think./  
  
/I don't want to sleep tonight./  
  
/Good night, Schu./  
  
/Night./ 


	12. Night Conversations and Comforts

Chapter Twelve: Night Conversations and Comforts  
  
Julia led him to a room at the end of the hall. It only had one bed in it, but it wasn't cramped. "I'll be in the dining car if you need me." she said.  
  
Schuldig nodded and flopped back on the bed after she left. His eyes closed and before he knew it, he was asleep.  
  
She stuck her head in the room where the other two were. Nagi was sound asleep, but Brad looked over at her. "If you need me, I'm in the dining car. Schuldig's down the hall to the right." she whispered. "I know." Brad whispered back.  
  
Halfway through the night, Brad woke to hear a mental scream from down the hall. He arched an eyebrow and got out of bed, heading towards the German's room. He entered it to find Schuldig sitting up in bed, breathing hard. A frightened look was in his golden eyes.  
  
Brad ran his fingers through his dark hair. His movement got the telepath's attention and Schuldig simply stared at him, the look never leaving his eyes. /Daijoubu?/ he whispered carefully.  
  
Schuldig shook uncontrollably. /Nein. Why doesn't this nightmare leave me alone?/  
  
/I don't know, Schuldig. Do you want me to stay?/  
  
/I don't care./ It was more of a mumbled thought.  
  
/I hope you don't mind if I do./ Brad thought, sitting down gently on the bed next to him.  
  
Schuldig was still shaking, his eyes staring blankly ahead. "They've been dead so long," he whispered. "Why do they continue to haunt me?"  
  
"Maybe because you're the only one who can listen to them." Brad said. He was afraid to touch him, he didn't want to startle him.  
  
Schuldig pulled his knees to himself, resting his chin on them. "I'm tired of it, though. I didn't mean to do it... I don't want to be reminded all my life of it."  
  
"So tell them." Brad said, fingering the hem on the sheet.  
  
Schuldig turned toward him. "You're kidding right?"  
  
"If you can hear them, maybe they can hear you. If you tell them you don't want them to be screaming at you for eternity, maybe they'll leave."  
  
"It's more like the memory of what happened replaying over and over."  
  
"And there's no way of controlling it?"  
  
Schuldig shook his head. "I guess I'll be punished until the day I die."  
  
"Julia could stop it." Brad murmured.  
  
"I doubt it."  
  
"She blocked your memories of me, didn't she?"  
  
"Yeah. Maybe... Maybe I should remember. It was my fault."  
  
Brad's expression hardened. "It was an accident. You didn't plan to kill them."  
  
"It was still my fault." He sighed. "I suppose Amy and Jack's deaths are too, though. They were killed because they'd protected me."  
  
"At least share the blame. They protected me too. You can't go through life carrying the burden of people's deaths. Believe me, it doesn't work well."  
  
"It's my fault though." He glared into the darkness. "But I won't let their murderers run free for long."  
  
/No. Not for long./ Brad agreed.  
  
Schuldig shivered again. "Will they come after us?"  
  
"Not as far as I can see." Brad sighed.  
  
"At least that's a little encouraging." He lay back on his pillow. "Julia said that this Takatori guy might kill me. What do you see for that?"  
  
"I hadn't looked." Brad said flatly.  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
"I'm not Miss Cleo, you know. I don't do free calls and toll numbers." Brad muttered. Nevertheless, his eyes adapted the blank look.  
  
Schuldig waited until they returned to normal.  
  
It wasn't happening. Brad decided to loose himself in the images. He'd never pushed his ability, he knew he could only see the near future. He'd gone catatonic the one time he'd tried further, but he could stretch it now.  
  
Schuldig looked at him. "Can't take that long," he mumbled. /Brad?/  
  
Takatori wouldn't kill Schuldig, he knew, beat him with a stick a few times, but it wouldn't kill him. Nagi looked older. There was a fourth. They were covered in red, no, not red, black. They were covered in black. Schwarz.  
  
Schuldig sighed and allowed his mind to touch his friends. /Where'd you go?/ he whispered.  
  
Brad gasped at the intrusion on his mind and jerked out of his visions. "Jeez, Schuldig, give a man a warning," he moaned, rubbing his forehead.  
  
"I tried!"  
  
"He's not killing you. I might." he mumbled, still rubbing his forehead.  
  
"Sorry," Schuldig mumbled.  
  
"We're going to be black." Brad whispered.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Schwarz. That's what we're going to be."  
  
"Schwarz eh?" Schuldig sat back again. "How far did you see?"  
  
"I don't know. It was blurry. I'm not a distance person."  
  
"Ah." Schuldig sighed. "Why will you never let me see what you're seeing?"  
  
"Because it's personal. It's my gift, it's all I have."  
  
"It's not all you have."  
  
Brad looked at his hands. "It's all that ever stayed around."  
  
"I'll stick around," the teen said quietly.  
  
"I know. That's what scares me." the oracle whispered.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because no one else ever has."  
  
"Something new then, ne?"  
  
"Ja."  
  
"Told you I wouldn't sleep much tonight."  
  
Brad touched his mind to Schuldig's. "I told you that you would, ne?"  
  
"You told me that I would sleep more than I thought."  
  
Brad began putting shields up around the German's mind, and around the part of his brain that wasn't letting him sleep.  
  
/Whatcha doin'?/  
  
/Putting you to sleep./  
  
/I noticed that,/ the German replied drowsily.  
  
/Do you want me to stay? And tell me yes or no, ne?/  
  
/Yes./  
  
/All right, then./ Brad replied.  
  
Schuldig was slowly drifting to sleep. /G'night,/ he mumbled.  
  
/Night./ Brad made sure his shields were secure and in place and would stay that way through the night. He stretched out beside Schuldig. 


	13. The Long Flight to a New Home

Chapter Thirteen: The Long Flight to a New Home  
  
  
  
The next morning the two young men were awakened by Julia opening the door and the light flooding in.  
  
"We've reached Warsaw, you two. Our flight leaves in two hours. Be ready." she said.  
  
"Does that require getting up?" Schuldig groaned.  
  
That was the closest thing to a practical joke he had ever seen out of Brad. Some people had sick senses of humor.  
  
"You can laze for about thirty minutes, but I wouldn't push it further than that." She called, backing out of the room.  
  
Schuldig nodded, closing his eyes.  
  
Brad made no move to get up either. His head was still sore from his vision escapade.  
  
/You okay?/  
  
/Yes of course./ Brad replied.  
  
/You gonna get up?/  
  
/This year? No./  
  
Schuldig chuckled. /The fearless leader is being lazy?/  
  
/It's allowed. Tell anyone, and you'll get hit with a golf club./  
  
/Why a golf club?/  
  
/Trust me. I have good resources./  
  
/You picked the strangest thing though..../ he chuckled.  
  
/You have no idea.../  
  
/Do you know something I don't?/  
  
/That's a stupid question./  
  
/Hey!/  
  
/Why should I know something that you don't?/ Brad added with a grin.  
  
/Because you always seem to be a step ahead of everyone else./  
  
/That's what makes me special, ne?/  
  
/Ja./  
  
/We're headed for the ends of the earth, you know./  
  
/I'm following./  
  
/I think I feel bad for leading./  
  
/Why?/  
  
/Because I don't want you to be hurt./  
  
/Me? I can take care of myself. Don't worry about that./  
  
Brad shot him random images of the last two days. /Oh, really. I won't./  
  
Schuldig glared. /I'll be able to take anything life throws at me./  
  
/I know it. You'd make a good redhead, you know./  
  
/Maybe I'll dye my hair later on./  
  
/I can't figure out how you were born with green hair in the first place. Not that you don't carry it well./  
  
Schuldig laughed. /Dunno./  
  
/Did you have any siblings?/  
  
/No./  
  
/Do you wish you had?/  
  
/No. They might have died too./  
  
/They could have been older./  
  
/Maybe./  
  
/I sometimes wish I'd have had a sibling./  
  
/Maybe you could be kind of an older brother, ne?/  
  
/You and Nagi my chibi brothers, hm?/  
  
/Sure. Why not?/  
  
/Yeah. Why not./ Brad smiled.  
  
"Boys?" Julia called. "Today, please?"  
  
/I don't suppose asking for five more minutes would work?/ Brad sighed.  
  
/Nein./  
  
The American sat up slowly. He brushed the bandage across his abdomen with his fingers. He would have to change that before getting on the plane.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Okay. Better than yesterday. You?"  
  
"A lot better than yesterday."  
  
"Sugoi."  
  
"BOYS!"  
  
"We're up all ready!" Brad shouted. He stood. "Time for Japan, ne?"  
  
"Sounds fun."  
  
Half an hour later, the three boys and Julia were disembarking the train, headed for the Warsaw airport. Nagi didn't look thrilled at the prospect of going to Tokyo.  
  
"You'll live, chibi," Schuldig said as he ruffled the young boy's hair. He grinned. Nagi glared up at him.  
  
"Adrian will pick us up. It's a fairly long flight, but we should be okay. Would one of you get a taxi?" Julia said, digging through her purse.  
  
Several minutes later, the four of them were sitting in a cab on their way to the airport. "How long is the flight?" Nagi asked.  
  
"About eight hours." Julia said. She'd be glad to get home and back to Adrian.  
  
Schuldig looked out the window. "What are we going to do once we get there? You said he didn't want all of us."  
  
"You'll go with Adrian to our apartment and wait there. I'm going to have a little conference with Mr. Takatori."  
  
"What do you think the outcome will be?"  
  
Julia grinned slyly. "Whatever I want it to be."  
  
The young German looked to his clairvoyant friend for an agreement or disagreement.  
  
Brad arched an eyebrow, but nodded. "She doesn't lie either, mien friend."  
  
Schuldig nodded. /Good to know./  
  
"I have the gift of mental persuasion, as well as empathy." Julia said.  
  
"That's the nice way of putting it," Schuldig said with a grin.  
  
"I thought so."  
  
"A touch of telepath in you?"  
  
"My mother's side, I think."  
  
Schuldig nodded.  
  
The taxi pulled up to the curb of the airport and told Julia how much it would cost.  
  
She paid and they walked in. They walked down the way toward the chairs set aside to wait in. A large crowd, just having come into the airport, came toward them and they tried to weave their way through. Schuldig felt light headed as the voices began to slip in.  
  
"Not again," Brad muttered. He grabbed Schuldig's arm. "Focus."  
  
"I'm trying to."  
  
"Ignore them. Just listen to my voice." Brad demanded.  
  
"Easier said than done."  
  
/What? My melodious tone isn't charming enough?/  
  
Schuldig closed his eyes a moment and the American thought he was going to pass out. He opened them again. "Let's get out of here. I've got stronger shields for a moment."  
  
"Don't go far, boys. We can't miss the flight." Julia said.  
  
The crowds disappeared behind them and Schuldig looked relieved. "I HATE that..."  
  
"I'm beginning to hate it too." Brad said.  
  
"I've got a headache," the telepath complained as they walked on.  
  
"Maybe caffeine would help. You want a drink?"  
  
"How old do you have to be in this country to get something with alcohol?" he asked with a grin.  
  
Brad laughed under his breath. "Drinking already? You're going to ruin your liver."  
  
"Oh well."  
  
"I'll buy it for you. What do you want?"  
  
Schuldig laughed. "Something to dull a headache. Anything."  
  
Brad ordered two coolers and handed one to him. "If you start acting weird, don't blame me for what happens."  
  
Schuldig laughed and took a sip. "I've had alcohol before, Brad. I can tolerate it pretty well."  
  
"I'm hoping the 'I don't lie, Brad' is still working."  
  
"Why wouldn't it be?"  
  
"Alcohol does funny things to people."  
  
"I've had stuff that does worse than alcohol, so don't worry."  
  
"The more you tell me not to worry about you, the more I'm inclined to do so." Brad grinned.  
  
"I use to take stuff for my headaches," Schuldig explained.  
  
"Did it work?"  
  
"Made me forget."  
  
"Ah." They kept walking. "You want a postcard?" Brad asked as they passed a gift shop.  
  
Schuldig shrugged. "Don't care."  
  
Brad picked one up that said 'With love, From Germany.' "And in Poland, too." He murmured.  
  
Schuldig chuckled. "And where are we again?" he laughed.  
  
"Warsaw." Brad said, shaking his head.  
  
Schuldig finished his drink and tossed it into a nearby trashcan. "We don't have all that long till our flight."  
  
Brad put the postcard back. "Let's head that way, then."  
  
Schuldig nodded and they started down the hallway.  
  
"I hate long flights." Brad said as they neared the gate.  
  
"Me too. Boring, ne?"  
  
"It just makes me uneasy. I can see ahead eight hours, but I'm always concerned something will change."  
  
"We'll be fine," the young German reassured him.  
  
"Yeah." Nagi waved to them from the seats that he and Julia were sitting at. He held a hot dog in the other hand.  
  
Schuldig plopped down next to him and slouched down in the chair. "How ya doin', chibi?" he asked with a grin.  
  
Nagi glared at him. "I'm fine. You?"  
  
Schuldig looked oddly at him. "What are you glaring for?"  
  
"I don't like being small."  
  
Schuldig laughed. "You're smarter than any kid your age, so don't worry about it."  
  
"And stronger." Nagi reminded him.  
  
"Yeah... noticed that one...."  
  
"We can pre-board now, guys." Julia said, shoving her book in her purse. Brad threw the rest of his drink away.  
  
"Can you handle the alcohol?" Schuldig teased the older boy.  
  
"I think I can manage." Brad said, swaying just a little for effect.  
  
Schuldig laughed and walked on with Julia and Nagi.  
  
Brad was behind them, but cast one last look over his shoulder. He was paranoid. He shrugged and went down the walkway.  
  
/You shouldn't worry so much,/ Schuldig's voice rang in his head.  
  
/You're right./  
  
/But will you listen?/  
  
/The fearless leader should listen to his followers, yes./  
  
/Ja./  
  
The plane was a fairly good-sized one, Brad remembered seeing 747 on his ticket. It wasn't especially crowed, for which he was thankful.  
  
Schuldig slipped into the seat by the window. "Ah, the only source of entertainment."  
  
"Not counting yourself, I see."  
  
"Entertain myself? My own thoughts aren't' entertaining and most people's on a plane aren't' either. So I guess I'll watch the world go by."  
  
"I met the most interesting girl on a plane once," Brad said, sitting next to him in the aisle seat. "Beatiful, intelligent, legs like you wouldn't believe."  
  
Schuldig chuckled. "But I bet there was nothing interesting going through her mind."  
  
"Oh, she told me what was on *her* mind..."  
  
"And that was...?"  
  
"I'm not going to repeat it in a public place."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"It was an interesting flight, though."  
  
"I'll take your word for it," Schuldig said as he read his friend's thoughts about what the girl had said.  
  
Brad grinned and flashed him some rather heated memory images.  
  
Schuldig turned bright read and cut the mental link.  
  
Brad laughed. "That's what you get, poking about in my brain."  
  
Schuldig was still red. "Sorry..."  
  
Brad settled back in his seat and shut his eyes. Long flights were good for sleeping. Julia and Nagi were on the opposite side of the aisle from them. The plane was headed down the runway.  
  
/You going to bore me by sleeping?/  
  
/Absolutely. I'm not boxed entertainment myself, unless you'd like more of the last long flight I had./  
  
/No./  
  
The passengers were leaned back as the plane took off. It leveled off soon and the attendants came around, offering headphones, pillows, and drinks.  
  
The flight was long and uneventful. Schuldig couldn't suppress a grin when they landed.  
  
Brad felt himself being shook away by the excited German. "What?" he asked.  
  
"We're here."  
  
"All ready? That was fast..." Nagi slouched in his seat. "No kidding."  
  
"Try being awake the entire time," Schuldig mumbled. "Let's go!"  
  
Julia grinned as she pushed Nagi out of his seat. "Come on, kiddo, it won't be that bad. You'll like my partner."  
  
The four of them exited into the airport. Julia grinned as she saw her friend.  
  
The Asian man was a complete contradiction to Julia's fair features. His black hair was cut short, and his black eyes lit up as he saw her. "Julia!" he called.  
  
Schuldig watched her. "I wonder if she's going to be able to do what she wants with this Takatori guy."  
  
Adrian hugged Julia and looked over the three recruits. "Three, eh, Julia? Only you can convince him of that..."  
  
"I know." She looked at Schuldig. "Trust me. You'll be fine."  
  
He cocked an eyebrow. "I trust you."  
  
"Then let's get this over with, ne? Adrian, be a doll, take them back to the apartment. I'll meet you there after I talk with Takatori."  
  
Schuldig hesitated for a moment, then followed after Crawford. /It'll work out, right?/  
  
He nodded ever so slightly. /Ja. It'll work out./  
  
/I believe you more than I believe her./  
  
/She's not going to betray us. She'll work it out./ He smiled at his friend. /You worry to much./  
  
/I know./  
  
/Listen to the fearless leader, ne?/  
  
/Ja./ 


	14. Threat From the Inside

Chapter Fourteen: Threat From the Inside  
  
Author's notes: Text between * * indicates conversation in a chat room.  
  
  
  
Adrian led them out to a blue four-door car, and Julia hailed a taxi.  
  
  
  
"I shouldn't be long, Adrian. Two hours at the most." she called.  
  
He nodded. Schuldig climbed in, followed by Brad.  
  
"Where exactly are we going?" Nagi asked as he sat in the passenger's seat.  
  
"The apartment Julia and I share. It's in downtown, close to headquarters. Takatori likes us within five minutes of the office." Adrian answered.  
  
"You two share an apartment?" Nagi asked innocently.  
  
Adrian pulled the car into gear and merged into the traffic leaving the airport. "Hai."  
  
/After an eight hour flight we have more sitting,/ Schuldig complained.  
  
  
  
"You can move around the apartment as much as you like. It's fairly spacious." Adrian said with a grin. He tapped his head. "Welcome to the land of the gifted."  
  
Schuldig put a shield up. He didn't like having others poke around, no matter how much he enjoyed poking into their minds.  
  
Brad watched the city through the window of the car. It was like he remembered it. Big, full of people, and this time full of danger for them. This wasn't going to a walk in the park.  
  
"Have you ever been here before?" Nagi asked.  
  
"Me? Yes." Brad said absently.  
  
"Did you like it?" the Japanese boy asked.  
  
"Yes. It was a very pleasant place to be in."  
  
Schuldig noticed the distracted sound in his friend's voice. /Ne, Brad?/  
  
/Hai?/ The American responded.  
  
/You with us?/  
  
/Hai./  
  
/You don't look like it./  
  
/Gomen nasai./  
  
/Daijoubu ka?/  
  
/Daijoubu, arigato./  
  
Schuldig shrugged and laid his head back against the seat. He'd figure out what was the matter with him later.  
  
Brad continued to stare out the window. He was getting images again, but they were blurred. Four. Well, he already knew there would eventually be four of them. But they weren't black. Something else...  
  
Schuldig noticed the blank look in the American's eyes. He frowned and waited for it to end.  
  
Brad narrowed his eyes and pulled away from the visions. White. Weiß. They would be black versus white, Weiß versus Schwarz.  
  
/Brad?/  
  
/What?/  
  
/What did you see?/  
  
/White./  
  
/What do you mean?/  
  
/I don't know yet. I'll get back to you./  
  
Schuldig nodded.  
  
The car pulled up to an apartment and stopped.  
  
"We're on the fourth floor." Adrian said. "If any of you are still tired, we have a two guest rooms, or we can order out if you're hungry. Julia and I aren't that good at cooking." He stepped out of the car.  
  
Nagi stepped out and looked around. He didn't' like being here. The city made him uncomfortable.  
  
Brad got out of the backseat and left the door open for Schuldig. He glanced at Nagi. "There's nothing here that's going to jump out and bite you, chibi. You're all right here." he said quietly.  
  
Nagi twitched slightly at the name. "Don't you start it too."  
  
Brad grinned slightly. "It's fitting, ne?"  
  
"No. It's not."  
  
Schuldig grinned as he ruffled the young boy's hair. "Sure it is, kiddo. Don't take it so personally."  
  
"We're going to be together for a while. You should get used to it." Brad added. He followed Adrian up to the building.  
  
"There's something about this Adrian guy that makes me uneasy," Schuldig whispered to his American friend.  
  
"You're paranoid." Brad murmured. "I don't see him lunging at us with any pointed objects, so I think you're okay."  
  
"It's not that, I just don't like him for some reason."  
  
"I'd keep it under your bandana, seeing as how our lives are in his partner's hands."  
  
`"Are they together or what?" Schuldig asked, a little louder than he meant.  
  
Adrian turned and looked at them. He grinned. "We're in a platonic relationship 95% of the time."  
  
Schuldig blushed as he realized he'd been heard.  
  
"Don't worry about it kid. Nobody really knows what kind of relationship we have. Even us." He ushered them into the apartment.  
  
"Kind of like Jack and Amy, I guess," Schuldig whispered.  
  
Brad patted him on the back. "Yeah."  
  
Schuldig's eyes hardened once more and he pulled away.  
  
Adrian vanished into the back of the apartment. "Make yourselves at home." he called. The Asian man sat at his computer in the back bedroom and connected it to Julia's computer. The German was dangerous.  
  
*Heya. What's the news?* the words appeared across his screen.  
  
*We're home safe. The German is making me uneasy. Have you talked to Takatori?* Adrian asked.  
  
*Haven't had a chance. Why is Schu making you uneasy?*  
  
*You should be able to tell, he's got anger and revenge radiating off of him. He's a time bomb, Julia.*  
  
*And I think Crawford is keeping him under control,* came the answer.  
  
*You'd better be right, Jule. He's a danger if he falls away from the American. Good luck with Takatori.*  
  
*And good luck with the boys. I'm going to talk with him now. Ja ne.*  
  
*Ja.* "You boys hungry?" he shouted, shutting off the computer.  
  
He entered the room to see Schuldig sitting away from the others.  
  
"So, anything you guys need or want?" Adrian asked calmly.  
  
"Could I have some water?" Nagi asked quietly.  
  
"Of course. Anything else?" Adrian asked, going into the kitchen.  
  
Silence followed.  
  
Schuldig sat curled into the sofa and didn't respond as Brad Crawford took a seat next to him.  
  
"If you have anything of a stronger flavor I wouldn't mind." Brad said, picking lint off the cuff on his coat.  
  
"Sure thing." Adrian said.  
  
Schuldig laid his head against the sofa's back. /I'm still uncomfortable around him, and I'm not paranoid./  
  
Brad shifted and pulled his coat off, draping it on the couch behind them. /What makes you uncomfortable? You sensing something about his character or what?/  
  
/I can't explain it, I just don't like the guy.?/  
  
/Ah./  
  
Schuldig was silent then and he closed his eyes, sighing deeply.  
  
/Daijoubu?/  
  
/Nein. I don't' feel well. My head hurts./  
  
/You can have my drink, then./  
  
/I'd rather something stronger,/ the teen moaned.  
  
Brad frowned. /I don't think they keep that around./  
  
Schuldig chuckled. /Too bad./  
  
Adrian came back and handed Nagi a water bottle and Brad a cooler. Brad opened it, took a sip and passed it to Schuldig. /It'll have to do./  
  
The young teen took a sip and handed it back. /If I drank enough to do any good, I'd have a hangover./  
  
Brad took another sip. /Thought you could hold your liquor./  
  
/I can. It would just take a lot to dull this headache./  
  
Brad handed the bottle back and simultaneously touched his mind to Schuldig's.  
  
/What?/  
  
/You may want to let me have the pain while you can, mein friend./  
  
/No. There's no reason for you to deal with it./  
  
/I won't be able to do this forever. Don't argue with me now./  
  
/I.../ Schuldig trailed off as the voices flooded in too much. He slowly felt himself fade into a welcome darkness and pass out.  
  
Brad cursed. "Stubborn idiot," he mumbled. He placed shields around their minds and leaned back in the couch. This job with Takatori better be worth it.  
  
"What happened?" Adrian asked quietly, nearly forgotten by the American.  
  
"He passed out. The voices." Brad murmured.  
  
"He has weak shields?"  
  
"It's not his fault."  
  
"Takatori won't look at it that way."  
  
Brad opened his blue eyes and placed a piercing gaze on the older man. "Then Takatori just won't know, will he?"  
  
"He'll find out."  
  
"It'll be too late then." Brad replied, closing his eyes again.  
  
Schuldig's golden orbs fluttered open. /Brad?/  
  
/Yeah?/  
  
/Will he tell?/  
  
/Not if he wants to live./  
  
  
  
Author's notes: Oi vey. My apologies, everyone. I meant to update sooner. I started school Monday, and I've been sick since last Tuesday, so nothing went the way I planned. ^^;; At any rate, I'm back on the ball. Thanks for sticking with me! Enjoy.  
  
Oh, and somebody asked how many chapters we had...I'm not entirely sure. ^^; Working on it. Thanks! 


	15. To Cling Without Shame

Author's notes: Words grouped together are voices that are coming into Schuldig's head. If anyone knows how to do the italics.tell me!! Onegai!?! *big puppy eyes* ^^ Enjoy.  
  
Chapter Fifteen: To Cling Without Shame  
  
  
  
Schuldig whimpered slightly and curled up tighter. He hated this feeling of weakness.  
  
"Could you leave us be, onegai?" Brad said to Adrian. He nodded and left the room.  
  
Somehow, in some way, he wanted to overcome it. He curled up tighter.  
  
Brad waited to see how it would affect the young man. He didn't want his friend in pain, but it would be better if he could beat it.  
  
Schuldig let out a muffled gasp and shuddered. He started to reach for Brad's mind, but stopped.  
  
/If you need me, I'm right here./ Brad murmured.  
  
  
  
The voices continued to seep in, taunting him. "Why does he have to be like that?" "I don't get it. It's just not fair!" "Doshite?!" "Oh my gosh... I didn't think she'd really do it..." "Would anyone really miss me?"  
  
  
  
Schuldig screamed aloud as they flooded in.  
  
Nagi flinched and stared at the German.  
  
Brad cringed. /I'm here Schuldig, I'm right here./  
  
  
  
"Why won't you just go away?!" "I never wanted you here anyway!" "Worthless! That's what you are!"  
  
  
  
Schuldig's eyes widened and then went blank.  
  
As Schuldig collapsed back against the couch the light connection Brad had with him fell silent. "Schuldig?" He touched the boy's arm. "Schu?"  
  
Schuldig jerked away. "Don't...." The word was German, accent heavier than usual with the young teen. The word was barely a whisper. /You'll here them too./  
  
"Not by physical contact." Brad replied, not releasing him.  
  
/I don't want to hurt you. I can't control them./  
  
/You'd never hurt me./ He wasn't letting go. Not now, not ever.  
  
Voices continued to rage, some seeping into Brad's own mind.  
  
  
  
"You never listen!" "Isn't Crawford going to do anything for him?" "The kids going to loose it and I'm not sure I want to be around when it happens...."  
  
  
  
  
  
Brad wrapped his other arm around the telepath's shoulders. If he couldn't beat it alone, they would do it together. /Hang on to me if you have to./  
  
Schuldig clung to him. He hated his weakness, but at the moment it couldn't be helped. At the moment he couldn't stand it any longer. At the moment, he wanted anything that would make them go away. He sobbed quietly into his friend's shirt.  
  
Brad held Schuldig closer to him and stroked his hair. /We'll work on this. You're going to be okay, I'm right here./  
  
The young German shook and his sobs quieted. /It hurts./  
  
/I know, I know./ Brad whispered. /I won't let go of you, Schuldig. I can block it for you now, if you want./  
  
Schuldig nodded slightly, even that movement causing pain.  
  
Brad lowered all of his shields to nothing, using all the energy he had to protect his friend's mind from the in pouring of voices.  
  
Schuldig felt them fade away and he was left with the dull ache. /Danke./  
  
/Bita./ Brad replied.  
  
/What happened to your shields?/ His mental voice was barely a whisper in his friend's mind.  
  
/What's mine is yours./  
  
Schuldig smiled and relaxed, his gold eyes slipping shut.  
  
Brad ran his hand over the green-blonde hair one last time before relaxing with Schuldig against him. It was okay now.  
  
"Is he all right?" Nagi asked from his seat across the room.  
  
Brad nodded. "He'll be all right."  
  
"Will he ever get control of his shields?"  
  
"We'll work on it."  
  
The phone rang, gaining everyone's attention. Adrian answered it from the back room. "He says he'll see them," Julia's voice greeted him.  
  
"Will he accept them?" Adrian asked. "More than likely." Julia said. "Are they okay?" she asked.  
  
"Something happened to the German," he responded.  
  
Julia sighed. "I was afraid that would happen. Brad's taking care of him, isn't he?"  
  
"Hai. Takatori will never accept a telepath that has trouble with his shields, you know that, Jule."  
  
"Then he won't find out about it until it's too late." Julia said firmly. "These boys are right for this, Adrian. They'll be fine."  
  
"I hope you're right."  
  
"I'm always right. You should know that by now."  
  
He chuckled. "Yes, I know."  
  
"Can you bring them down here?" Julia asked. She looked around the office.  
  
"The German's asleep," he responded as he glanced out at them.  
  
"Okay. We'll wait until tomorrow then. They need all the rest they can get."  
  
"Will Takatori wait?"  
  
Julia arched an eyebrow. "Of course. He'll wait until hell freezes over if I want him too."  
  
"Right. Will you be coming back now?"  
  
"Yeah. I need a shower and hot cup of coffee." 


	16. A Taste of the Past

Chapter Sixteen: A Taste of the Past  
  
  
  
In the other room, Schuldig had come too slowly. His head swam when he sat up too fast.  
  
Crawford had fallen asleep on the couch, and didn't notice when he woke. Nagi twirled his water bottle cap on the table.  
  
Schuldig glanced over to the young Japanese boy. "Where'd Adrian go?"  
  
"He's in the kitchen." The boy replied.  
  
Schuldig didn't particularly want to go into the kitchen with the man alone, but he wanted the aspirin more. He walked in quietly.  
  
Adrian could tell that the boy was uncomfortable around him so he stayed silent. Finally, he motioned to the drawer. "The aspirin's in there."  
  
Schuldig tensed visible. He now saw why Brad disliked him poking around in his mind.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's a habit." Adrian apologized. He watched the boy carefully.  
  
Schuldig kept his distance as he reached for the aspirin. "Do you have water?"  
  
Adrian pulled down a glassed and held it towards him.  
  
"Danke."  
  
"Why are you nervous around me? I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
"You make me uncomfortable."  
  
"My apologies."  
  
Schuldig shrugged as he filled the glass with water. His head was spinning and he didn't feel like dealing with this man any more than he had to at the moment.  
  
Adrian's gaze left the German and looked over towards the living room. The American had no shields.  
  
"How long do you think it would take him until he gets his shields back into place? He's a sitting duck for any telepath."  
  
Adrian looked at him. "That depends on how long he keeps his energy on you, and how much mental power he has."  
  
"He's strong."  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
Schuldig swallowed his pills and set the glass on the counter.  
  
"Takatori will be seeing you tomorrow."  
  
"Will he know?"  
  
Adrian glanced back towards the room Brad was in. "Not if he can help it."  
  
"I can't let him go walking around with no shields."  
  
"You'll do whatever he wants and you know it."  
  
Schuldig glared.  
  
"You're loyal. That's not something you see in our profession."  
  
Schuldig looked into the living room. "I just don't want him to get hurt because of me. Or worse...."  
  
"In the end that will be up to him. All you can do is be loyal. Which you are."  
  
Schuldig nodded. "Ja. I suppose." He looked back at the bottle of aspirin. "How many of those was I supposed to take?"  
  
Adrian blinked. "Two. Just two." Brad stirred in the living room.  
  
Schuldig frowned lightly. "Oh well...."  
  
Brad was dreaming and he knew his mind was open to anyone who wanted to read it, but he couldn't make himself wake up. He frowned and turned in his sleep.  
  
"How many did you take?" Adrian asked. Schuldig didn't seem to hear him as he turned toward the living room. Something wasn't right...  
  
"Four." Schuldig replied distantly. Brad jerked against the couch and muttered something in his sleep.  
  
"You should have asked how many BEFORE you too them.' Adrian's voice was distant as the young German made his way to the couch. "Brad?" he whispered, touching his arm.  
  
The American jolted awake with a cry, grabbing onto the couch cushions with one hand, the other going to his chest.  
  
Schuldig leaned over his friend, eyes wide with concern. "You all right?"  
  
He looked up at Schuldig. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," he said, breathing slowly.  
  
"What were you dreaming?" the German asked quietly.  
  
Brad lowered his eyes and thought. He met the German's gaze. "I can't remember."  
  
"Sometimes it's better that way," Schuldig replied with a smile. "That's the way with my dreams anyway."  
  
"It's not better if it was a vision." Brad said, still trying to recall what the dream was about.  
  
"I can find it, if you want," his friend said slowly, almost unsure as he spoke the words.  
  
Brad bit his lip. That would require Schuldig searching through his mind and maybe finding things that Brad didn't necessarily want found. But if it was a prediction that he couldn't remember..."Do it." he whispered.  
  
Schuldig nodded and closed his eyes, placing a hand on the elder boy's shoulder. Concentrating, he found what he was looking for.  
  
Schuldig nodded and closed his eyes, placing a hand on the elder boy's shoulder. He reached out with his mind, finding things that he wasn't looking for, but frightened him. A man looming over a young Brad. The man did not look happy.  
  
Brad knew what he was going to see but didn't try to block it. He may as well know. He swallowed. They had to find out what the dream was, and if this was the only was, so be it.  
  
Schuldig nodded slightly, even that movement causing pain.  
  
Schuldig watched as they man yelled and screamed at the young Crawford, a hand reaching down and swiping him across the face. The memory faded.  
  
Another replaced it. A woman was standing over him now, telling him sternly that he had to go away, because he was disrupting the family. He was turned out of his home, and that faded too. Crawford looked away from the German.  
  
Schuldig stopped. He'd founded the dream. A mixture of images, blurred, but cruel. Memories. "You had a nightmare," he whispered. "That was it...."  
  
The American shrank away. "I guess so," he said softly.  
  
Schuldig glanced over to the kitchen where Adrian was watching them.  
  
  
  
The older man walked back in to the living room. He didn't take his gaze off of Schuldig. "Why didn't you count the pills you take?"  
  
"I never do. Gave up on that a long time ago."  
  
"How long have you been taking medications?"  
  
Schuldig blinked. "Depends on your definition. Are you talking about the heavy pain killers or the Aspirins?"  
  
"I mean how long have you been overdosing to try and kill your pain?"  
  
  
  
Schuldig looked away, feeling uneasy under his stare.  
  
"That's what I thought. When did you stop taking street drugs? How long were you on that?"  
  
Schuldig seized up, muscles tensing. "I... uh...."  
  
"Are you still taking them? How long have you been a junkie, Schuldig?" Adrian demanded. Crawford stood. "How dare you,"  
  
Schuldig's golden eyes remained wide as if Adrian were threatening to strike him. "A while..." he whispered. "I stopped a while ago...."  
  
Brad turned a wide-eyed look on him. Adrian moved forward. "Right. That's what they all say. I've dealt with junkies before. You can't trust them."  
  
Schuldig found himself behind his tall friend. Now what?  
  
Brad stood between them, mind still reeling from the revelation. Never mind. "Get away from him. If he said he stopped, he stopped."  
  
The young German fell back onto the couch. His head hurt. The voices were getting too strong too fast. Why couldn't Adrian just leave him alone?  
  
Adrian took him by the collar. "Because your a threat to what we do. Your even a threat to them." he said, referring to Crawford and Nagi.  
  
Brad shoved him away from Schuldig. "Did you not hear me tell you to stay away from him?"  
  
Schuldig shuddered, then he looked up at Brad. /I'm not on them anymore, I swear./  
  
/I know. You don't lie./ Brad replied, again between the two men.  
  
Adrian glared at him. "You really want to work with a risk like that? He'll cost you your life, Crawford."  
  
"I wouldn't," Schuldig said, half afraid to open his mouth again.  
  
"Whose the precog, Adrian? And who are you to put a value on my life? You just leave him alone. He said he isn't taking them, and even if he was I wouldn't' blame him. Neither one of us can imagine the mental agony he goes through." Brad snapped.  
  
Schuldig shook uncontrollably as he awaited the answer. Would Adrian tell Julia who in turn might throw him out on the streets, or worse, send him back to Rosenkreuz?  
  
/No one is sending you back. Ever./ Brad said.  
  
Adrian backed down and shook his head. "The key to survival is having a partner you know you can trust your back to. One day he'll choose the drugs over you, Crawford, and then he pain will be all yours."  
  
Schuldig felt as if he were drowning in the voices now. Apparently his thoughts were seeping into other's minds as well, with the unvoiced questions being answered. He gritted his teeth in attempted to keep control.  
  
Brad still had all his shields down, and with the frustration of trying to keep a block around Schuldig and fighting Adrian, he felt like either killing the man in front of him or flinging himself out the window. "Go. Away. You. Are. Making. My. Life. Difficult." he ground out.  
  
"You'll regret it someday," Adrian growled. "And don't think Julia isn't going to hear about this."  
  
"Not as much as you're going to regret it if you don't get away from me." Crawford said lowly.  
  
Schuldig watched the man leave. He shuddered and sank back on the couch.  
  
Brad had to relent and put a barricade around part of his mind. Behind it he kept a steady monotony up. /Don't look at the window. Don't look at the window. Don't look at the window. Damn. I had to look at the window./ He sat on the couch next to Schuldig and stared at the wall. /Don't look at the window./  
  
Brad still had all his shields down, and with the frustration of trying to keep a block around Schuldig and fighting Adrian, he felt like either killing the man in front of him or flinging himself out the window  
  
"Why'd you do that?" The German teen's voice was barely audible.  
  
"Do what?" Brad muttered.  
  
"It's true I was on them. I can't swear I'll never be on them again. That look you gave me..."  
  
Brad could say nothing. He just stared at the wall. /Dead, or in this position. I wonder which could be possibly worse at this point?/ he thought behind the barricade.  
  
Schuldig finally looked away, then stood. He said nothing as he started toward the door.  
  
/Where are you going?/  
  
/I think I've worn out my welcome./  
  
/Where are you going to go, Schuldig?/  
  
/I don't know. Guess I'll figure it out when I get there./  
  
/Ah./  
  
Schuldig gave him a weak smile. "I know where I'm not wanted," he said quietly. "I've learned to tell." He tried to force the memory of the look Brad had given him away. If he just walked out now, it would be better. They'd never see him again and he couldn't screw anything up.  
  
The door shut with a soft click and Nagi looked at Brad with wide eyes. "You're letting him go?" Brad didn't answer the boy. He stood and went to the window. He pressed his hands against the fragile glass. /To the ends of the earth, ne, Schu? This is the end of the earth? If it is, we've both lived far too long already./ he thought dismally.  
  
/I'm sorry, Brad,/ came the faint whisper in his mind before nothing. Schuldig sank into darkness as the voices became too strong and he fell to the floor outside of the apartment. 


	17. And the Bitter Sting of the Future

Chapter Seventeen: And the Bitter Sting of the Future  
  
  
  
"That kid will never make it." Adrian said.  
  
Brad turned a stony gaze on him. He formed a fist against the window before slamming through it. Nagi and Adrian jumped as the glass shattered behind the young man. Brad passed them and disappeared into the hall.  
  
He knelt next to the teen.  
  
Schuldig shuddered. /Why?/ he repeated the question.  
  
/You mean why did I look at you the way I did?/ Brad asked. He wormed an arm under the boy's shoulders and pulled him to a sitting up position, supporting him.  
  
Schuldig turned his golden eyes on his friend. /Yes./  
  
/Because it surprised me?/ Brad asked, rubbing his back.  
  
/I did everything but tell you strait out,/ the teen replied.  
  
/Yeah. Everything but./ Brad agreed.  
  
/Sorry. Maybe I should have just come out and said it. It's just...I had no where else to turn./  
  
/It's okay. I'm sorry I hurt you. You just hold an aura of innocence about you somehow. Don't kill me for saying it./  
  
"Innocent," Schuldig scoffed weakly.  
  
"You have moments, just moments." Brad said quietly.  
  
Schuldig smiled slightly. /I don't want to go back in there./  
  
/I'm sorry. No other options./  
  
/Sure there are./  
  
/We have no where else to go./  
  
/Will Julia throw me out?/  
  
/I don't believe so. She has a way of working things to her advantage./  
  
/I really don't see how this can be to her advantage.../  
  
/You're anyone's advantage, tamadachi./  
  
The German smiled weakly. "Danke."  
  
"We have to go back in, ne? I want to wrap my hand up before it gets infected."  
  
Schuldig's eyes went to the hand in question. "What happened?"  
  
Brad ducked his head almost sheepishly. "I smashed a window."  
  
Schuldig cocked an eyebrow. "Fearless leader lost his temper?"  
  
"You say it like that and I sound like the character from Rocky and Bullwinkle."  
  
Schuldig choked back a laugh. "I'd thought of that, but I wondered how long it would take you to notice." A broad grin spread across his pale features.  
  
Brad smiled. "Gaki. Come on, up we go."  
  
The telepath nearly collapsed back to the ground, and would have it not for his friend's stern grip on him.  
  
"Take it slow and easy, we have all the time in the world," Crawford said, holding the German up against him.  
  
Schuldig nodded as he steadied himself. They made their way back into the apartment slowly and Adrian's eyes locked with Crawford's, then turned to Schuldig's.  
  
Never loosing eye contact with Schuldig, Adrian thought into Brad's mind. /I'm telling you now, Crawford, he'll be the death of you./ /I can't think of a better way to die./ Brad replied evenly.  
  
Schuldig felt a coldness wash over him as Adrian continued to glare.  
  
/Ignore him. Julia's almost here./ Brad told him, leading him over to the couch.  
  
The young German sank down to it gratefully. The door opened and the silver haired empath walked in.  
  
She stopped short as soon as she entered, her eyes flickering to Schuldig leaning against Brad on the couch, Nagi sitting stiff in his chair, the shattered window, and her glaring partner. She blinked. "I hope you boys had fun, whatever it was you were doing."  
  
Schuldig shrank back as he watched Adrian advance toward Julia, mumbling a "We need to talk."  
  
She looked over to the two sitting on the couch, noting Brad's death glare on Adrian. Julia nodded and followed him into the hall. When they were outside, she muttered, "What did you do, you baka? They look worse than before!"  
  
"Did you know you brought home a junkie, Jule?" he asked coldly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you brought him home anyway?" he demanded.  
  
"You were always good at pointing out the obvious. Yes I brought him 'home' you dolt, he's in our living room."  
  
"He's going to get those other boys killed."  
  
"Oh, get real, Adrian. They're all going to die anyway. All of us are. In the profession we have, and with the gifts we have, we all get a very short life span."  
  
"They don't need that kid screwing up what they've got, Jule."  
  
"That kid is all Bradley's got, Adrian. Believe me, over the past week I've seen where their loyalties lie. Hell itself wouldn't stop them."  
  
"Is he still on them?"  
  
"I don't believe so, no."  
  
"He will be. Someday he'll loose that fight."  
  
"By then it'll be out of our hands, Adrian. These boys are going to grow up fast, faster than they already have. Then that will be his choice to make. It'll be his choice."  
  
Adrian frowned. It deepened when he saw the young German leaning against the wall for support, listening to the conversation.  
  
Julia noted it as well, but ignored it. "You know how it is, Adrian. When you have nothing, you give everything, hoping to find something. That's what happens. It's what happened to you and me, and Schuldig and Crawford, Jack and Patrick, and heaven knows how many others. We all can make or break each other."  
  
"You see the distant future, don't you?" the teen asked Adrian. The older man nodded, still glaring. "Do you see us dying?"  
  
Adrian opened his mouth but Julia shut him up with a snarl. "Shut up, Adrian. You have no right to tell him what you see."  
  
"Tell me." Schuldig eyed the man, matching his glare. He would know, by force if need be.  
  
"Be careful what you ask for, Schuldig. Those who are not gifted with the sight of future have no right to know what it holds." Julia warned. Adrian let a cold smile grace his lips.  
  
Schuldig narrowed his golden eyes. "I would think that if it has to do with my life, or the lives of my friends, I have every right."  
  
"I agree." Adrian said.  
  
"Don't, for the love of Jude, Adrian," Julia warned.  
  
"Yes, I do see you dying. You want to know what else I see?" he got closer to the teen. "I see him dying by your hand. His blood is on your conscience."  
  
"Tell me how so I can change it." He refused to allow his best friend - brother- die because of him.  
  
"You can't change it. You can't change your destiny. This isn't just your future, it's your final act of being an assassin." Adrian said coldly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"For pity's sake, shut *up* Adrian," Julia growled.  
  
"What I mean is this: You're going to hold the gun to his heart and pull the trigger, whether you like it or not. That's what your meant to do."  
  
Julia backhanded him.  
  
"Liar!" the German teen hissed. "I'd never do that."  
  
"Oh, but you will. You will." Adrian said.  
  
Julia seethed at him. "You are a complete fool, Adrian." she snarled. He rubbed his cheek.  
  
"I wouldn't," the golden-eyed teen repeated. "I wouldn't be able to. Not to Brad."  
  
Adrian shut his eyes and sent Schuldig images of the event he said would come to pass.  
  
Julia hit him again and threw up barriers between them. "Stop, Adrian, or by God I will kill you." she growled.  
  
Schuldig stumbled back, eyes wide. "Nein...."  
  
Author's notes: Jeeze we made Adrian out to be such a bad guy in this... ^^; Well, hold your breath folks, there won't be any more updates until I find a missing chat. -__- my computer is out to get me. But never fear! If I don't have it, Chase-chan might. You can let your breath out now. Breathe in, breathe out...Good! Keep it up. ^^ Thank you all again for your support. And now I must find the missing chat... 


	18. Life's A Pill

Chapter Eighteen: Life's A Pill  
  
  
  
Author's notes: WUHA! EUREKA! And other various expressions of finding things! We have found the missing chat (Well, Chase found it while I bit my fingernails to shreds.) My apologies for the lack of updates, I started school at the beginning of August, and started my first job as well. @_@ Whoo... yeah... ^^ Enjoy! We're almost to the end!  
  
  
  
At Julia's warning, Adrian backed off. He stared at Schuldig. "Remember." he murmured before disappearing down the hall.  
  
Julia let out a vivid curse in German.  
  
Schuldig shook in anger as he watched the man retreat. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked back to see Brad Crawford.  
  
Julia inhaled a deep breath. "Egotistical jerk." she muttered. She moved her gaze to the two young men next to her.  
  
"Do you think that was the truth, Julia?" Schuldig asked quietly.  
  
Julia didn't answer for a long moment. "I don't know, Schuldig. I'm not a precog. I can't answer that."  
  
Schuldig turned his eyes back to Brad, and then closed them. "I'd never hurt you, you know that. I'd die before hurting you."  
  
Brad squeezed the shoulder he was holding. "I know." he whispered.  
  
"How do you work with him?" Schuldig asked, anger still lingering on the edge of his voice.  
  
"He's not like that most of the time. I don't know what's wrong with him. I'm sorry." Julia said.  
  
"I guess I just set wrong with some people."  
  
"Stay here. Order out pizza or something. Get your hand bandaged, Brad. I have to go after him." Julia said distantly.  
  
The two young men watched her as she disappeared after him. To where, they did not know.  
  
"Do you inspire the same kind of love/hate relationship in everyone you meet?" Brad asked dryly, leading them back into the apartment.  
  
"I don't try," the German responded.  
  
Brad shut the door behind them and headed towards the bathroom in the back. "I hate glass," he mumbled.  
  
/Then don't hit it,/ came the reply echoing in his mind.  
  
/Really./ Brad thought, switching on the light in the bathroom. He dug around in the cabinets for some antiseptic and gauze. He'd have to change the bandage around his waist as well.  
  
"Really," Schuldig said from behind him.  
  
Brad jumped at the sound and glared lightly at him. "I'll remember that." he said, pulling out the items he was looking for.  
  
Schuldig grinned broadly. Obviously either his headaches were gone for the moment or he was merely trying to get what Adrian had said out of his mind by preoccupying himself with something else.  
  
The American washed his hand off under warm tap water and dried it on the towel on the sink. He rubbed antiseptic on it and he sighed. "Now for the hard part."  
  
Schuldig picked up the gauze. "Let me see your hand."  
  
Brad held out the appendage for inspection.  
  
The golden-eyed teen wrapped the gauze around the elder boy's hand as carefully as he could.  
  
"Danke." Brad said quietly.  
  
Schuldig nodded with a smile, then leaned back against the wall. "I can't get what he said out of my mind," he muttered, more to himself than to Brad.  
  
Brad turned to face the mirror and lifted his shirt part way to inspect the bandages there. He frowned. "What did he say to you?" he asked.  
  
Schuldig shivered slightly. "He said that he saw our deaths, and that I'd...."  
  
He really didn't want to change those bandages. He smoothed out his shirt and leaned against the sink. "You'd kill me."  
  
"Ja," came the barely audible whisper.  
  
Brad ran a hand through his hair. If that man came back he would throw *him* through the window. "You said you wouldn't. I believe you." Brad said gently.  
  
"Why would he say that, Brad?" Somehow he looked like a little child as he looked up at his friend, golden eyes slightly frightened of the unknown future.  
  
He couldn't answer him. Brad reached out and enfolded the German in a tight embrace. /I don't know. But I don't believe it. Not for a second./  
  
Schuldig returned the embrace. /Danke./  
  
Brad could find nothing to say, so he just smiled against the blonde- green hair. He didn't know what he did to deserve a friendship in Schuldig, maybe he didn't. But now that he had it, he wouldn't let anything take it away.  
  
Schuldig sighed as he slipped down against the wall. "He showed me images," he whispered, "of what he said would happen."  
  
Crawford frowned. He was wishing he could see the distant future at that moment. He sat down next to Schuldig. "What did he show you?"  
  
Schuldig touched his mind and the images surfaced again. After a moment he had to grasp his friend's shoulder in order to keep the link.  
  
Crawford's face remained neutral. He could see Schuldig walking up to him. They were older, by at least six years. The telepath was holding a gun, and Crawford wasn't moving away. Finally the gun was pressed against his chest. Brad flinched as it went off, and the images faded away.  
  
Schuldig dropped his hand away from the American's shoulder and looked away.  
  
Brad licked his lips and breathed evenly. "He didn't show you what happened after that?" he finally asked.  
  
Schuldig shook his head no. "Julia stopped him."  
  
"He made it up." Brad said softly, almost to himself.  
  
"How could he get images that vivid?"  
  
"It can be done."  
  
Schuldig smiled and laid his head back against the wall.  
  
Brad pulled on the end of the bandage around his hand absently, lost in thought.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts, isn't that the American saying?" Schuldig asked as he looked at him. At the moment he didn't feel like finding out Brad had his shields back up in a painful way.  
  
"Just wondering, that's all." Brad responded. "And I don't have my shields up."  
  
"You told me not to intrude."  
  
"Thank you for respecting that."  
  
Schuldig smiled, but it soon faded as his head began to ache again. "How long am I suppose to wait between Tylenol?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Tylenol, four hours, aleve twelve." Brad replied. He couldn't see that far. He just couldn't push it out that far.  
  
"What can't you push?" the telepath asked.  
  
"I can't see that far." He bit his lip. "He's stronger than I am."  
  
"What are you trying to see? What Adrian saw?"  
  
Brad's silence was the only affirmation.  
  
"What happens when you push yourself to see farther?"  
  
"I go catatonic. I lose touch with the real world and get totally sucked into my own mind. If I go too far, I don't come back."  
  
"I guess it's kind of like a telepath getting stuck in someone's mind, ne?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
"That happened to me once," Schuldig mumbled. The voices were picking up far too fast. "Geheim sucked me in faster than I could pull way...."  
  
"He got less than he deserved." Brad muttered.  
  
Schuldig shrugged. "Tylenol was in the kitchen, right?" he asked. Four hours, an hour.... whatever....  
  
"Schuldig..."  
  
"Hmm?" the teen asked as he stood to head for the kitchen.  
  
"You overdose on those and I'll kill you."  
  
The German shrugged. "You kill me, the headaches kill me, what does it matter?"  
  
Brad silenced his retort in his throat. He re-inspected the bandages around his waist as Schuldig left.  
  
The telepath pulled the bottle of pills from the drawer and a glass from the shelf. He swallowed several pills, falling back into a chair.  
  
Brad pulled off his bandages and cringed as it pulled on the dried blood. He grit his teeth and ripped it all the way off. "Kuso." he muttered.  
  
/You all right in there?/ Schuldig's voice entered his head.  
  
/Just peachy./  
  
/Okay, if that's the case...../  
  
Brad watched a thin line of red trickle down his side, stopping it with gauze before it hit his pants. /Yeah. I'm great./  
  
/Honestly, Braddy./  
  
/Honesty is best in doses. What I'm being now is polite./  
  
Schuldig laughed. /You don't always have to be polite, ya know. If it hurts you can say so./  
  
/IT HURTS!/ Brad exclaimed. /There./  
  
Schuldig cringed. /Yeah.... there.... Ouch..../  
  
/Take another Tylenol./ Brad retorted.  
  
/I don't think there are any more left,/ Schuldig replied with a smirk. /And just to let you know it was NOT full to begin with..../  
  
/Well that's good to know. I'll know what to tell them when they're pumping your stomach at the emergency room./  
  
/You're encouraging, you know that? Don't think I haven't had an overdose. It's not pleasant./  
  
Brad didn't dignify that with a response. His wound was clean now, and he began wrapping it.  
  
Schuldig walked into the living room and curled up on the couch. /I don't think the pills even work. It's more of just doing something that's supposed to help..../  
  
Brad eyed himself in the mirror. He knew what they would become. Cold heartless killers with blood money as their reason to live. "Welcome to the real world." he whispered.  
  
He walked into the living room to find Schuldig curled up on the couch, pain written across his face.  
  
"What am I going to do with you, tamadachi?" he sighed.  
  
/Sorry,/ came the weak reply.  
  
Brad was tired. He lay on the floor next to the couch and stared at the ceiling. He knew he wouldn't be able to shield them both for much longer, but for now it was okay. He began building shields around Schuldig, layer by layer.  
  
/Have you ever just wanted it all to be over, Brad?/ the telepath asked quietly.  
  
/Yes./  
  
/I'm just so tired of it all./ the teen's thoughts were harsh, not towards his friend, but to everything else.  
  
/I know. It'll change. Things are always changing. We made it out of Rosenkreuz, ne?/  
  
/Into a place where someone hates us even more. Or at least thinks I'm a worthless junkie from the streets./  
  
/One person versus a whole school. I think this wins out, tamadachi./  
  
"I think I took a few too many pills," Schuldig whispered.  
  
"You should know better." Brad said.  
  
"I should," the teen whispered, "but I don't."  
  
"Your life motto, I think."  
  
Schuldig laughed, grimaced as he was harshly reminded his headache had NOT faded along with the overdose of the pills, and then closed his eyes.  
  
"Sleep it off. I don't think taking you to a hospital is necessary at this point." Brad said quietly.  
  
There was no response as the young German had seemingly taken his advise all ready and appeared to be sleeping peacefully.  
  
  
  
Brad stared at the ceiling. They would have to be all in one piece by tomorrow or they would never pull off the interview with Takatori. 


	19. Lost and Found

Chapter Nineteen: Lost and Found  
  
  
  
Heya, everyone! *glomps readers for reviews and support* I now have all chapters edited and will be posting them simultaneously. Thank you soooo much for bearing with me. Chase-chan and I are really glad you've liked our story, and the end is near! ^^ Oh, by the way, (before I forget) I added three or four paragraphs to the last chapter, so you might want to go back and read it.) Thanks! Keep reading!  
  
  
  
  
  
A ways away from the apartment, Julia had finally found her partner. She called to him.  
  
  
  
"Adrian! Adrian, you twit, slow down! Do you have any idea what you've done?" she shouted angrily.  
  
  
  
He turned a cold eye toward her. "Enlighten me," he answered darkly.  
  
  
  
"How many partners do you plan on losing in one lifetime, Adrian? I have to have all of those boys put together and at least halfway sane before tomorrow and you go and tell the most fragile one of them all that he'll kill the first person he's gotten attached to in years. If the interview fails tomorrow, you've signed my death certificate, you idiot."  
  
  
  
Adrian's expression softened slightly. Only slightly. "He wouldn't dare. He needs you to help train those kids."  
  
  
  
"Please, you don't think he'd wouldn't just recruit someone else from Rosenkreuz? It wouldn't be that difficult." she said. "And you know it."  
  
  
  
He scowled. "You're the one who brought him here. You know he'll cause trouble with or without my tampering with him."  
  
  
  
"You don't have to add to the situation!"  
  
  
  
"I'm not going to be the reason for your death, Julia. That kid is."  
  
  
  
"Thank you for sounding like you care. When did you become so cold, Adrian? What has this kid ever done to you? He's just like us, trying to survive. You don't have to make it harder."  
  
  
  
"Hn.," was the response she received.  
  
  
  
Julia tried to swallow her anger. "Fine, if that's the way you want it. As soon as they're trained, I'll go ahead and move out. I can live with a killer, Adrian, I can't live with someone cold blooded."  
  
  
  
"Why are you so attached to this kid?"  
  
  
  
"Because this is their only chance, and our future lies in them." her tone became smug. "You should know that."  
  
  
  
"To be quite honest," he whispered, "I can't see anything in these kids' future. That frustrates me."  
  
  
  
"Were you lying when you told Schuldig he would kill Brad?" Julia asked quietly.  
  
  
  
Adrian took a deep breath. "No one should get too attached to another person. Sooner or later they will loose them."  
  
  
  
Julia shut her eyes for a brief second. So it was true. "Great. Just peachy."  
  
  
  
"It wasn't a full lie, nor the full truth," he said quietly.  
  
  
  
"Will it happen within the next five years?"  
  
  
  
"From what I saw, yes."  
  
  
  
"One of us will be dead by then, so I guess it doesn't matter, ne? They can take care of themselves, can't they?" Julia muttered.  
  
  
  
"The German doesn't seem to be able to."  
  
  
  
"That's what he has Brad for."  
  
  
  
"And when he looses Brad?"  
  
  
  
Julia bit her lip. "He dies. You're right in the fact that that's life; they'll die eventually anyway. Everyone does. It's just a matter of when and how. I just wish it didn't have to be like that..."  
  
  
  
"We're not immortal, no matter what Rosenkreuz tries to teach," Adrian responded as he came closer to her.  
  
  
  
"They're good kids. It had to be like this, though." she said softly.  
  
  
  
Adrian wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin against her head.  
  
  
  
Julia leaned against him for a long moment before asking the inevitable. "Am I going to die tomorrow?"  
  
  
  
"No. I won't let you," he responded quietly.  
  
  
  
She laughed quietly. "You're getting protective after all these years."  
  
  
  
"Had to happen sooner or later."  
  
  
  
"Can we go home now or am I going to have to drag you on a leash, boy?"  
  
  
  
He chuckled. "Let's go home."  
  
  
  
"Behave, for me, onegai?"  
  
  
  
He frowned slightly. "For you only, but I better not ever see him on anything again."  
  
  
  
Julia saluted him. "Yessir."  
  
  
  
He smiled and the started back for the apartment.  
  
Julia opened the door and lifted an eyebrow. Schuldig was curled up on the couch, not looking all that well, Brad was asleep on the floor beneath him, and Nagi was reading in the chair across from them. Not to mention the window was still broken and the glass pieces were scattered in and out of the apartment. She shook her head. "I'm ordering pizza." she said with a sigh.  
  
  
  
Nagi looked up. "Konban wa," he greeted them.  
  
  
  
"Konban wa, Nagi." Julia said.  
  
Adrian nodded in acknowledgement and headed for the kitchen. "What do you want on the pizza? Olives, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, what?" he called quietly.  
  
  
  
"Just cheese for me," Nagi answered.  
  
  
  
Brad stirred from his place next to the couch.  
  
  
  
"Olives and sausage for me, Adrian." Julia said.  
  
  
  
He nodded and reached for the phone.  
  
  
  
Brad's dark blue orbs slid open sleepily and looked around the room. He noticed Julia.  
  
  
  
"You could use one of the beds, you know." she said with a grin.  
  
"I didn't really mean to fall asleep," he mumbled with a yawn. He looked back to see Schuldig curled up, golden eyes focused on him.  
  
  
  
"Hey," Brad said quietly.  
  
  
  
/Hey,/ the voice rang in his head.  
  
  
  
/Feel any better?/  
  
  
  
/A little./  
  
  
  
/Need anything?/  
  
  
  
/Nah./ Schuldig smiled. "Did you find him?" he asked Julia.  
  
  
  
"Yes. He's in the kitchen." Julia replied. "Just cut back on your pill intake and he'll let you live." she said, teasing tone in her voice.  
  
  
  
He smiled slightly. /I really hope he doesn't look at the pill bottles,/ he muttered to his American friend.  
  
"Julia..." Adrian called warningly.  
  
"I took Tylenol before I left." she called back. She winked at Schu. "But no more. You're going to be sick as it is." she whispered.  
  
  
  
He nodded sheepishly.  
  
Adrian came up behind Julia, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, holding the empty Tylenol bottle in front of her. "The whole bottle, Jule?"  
  
  
  
"Schu took some too, you dolt." She kissed one of his hands. "We were running low, you know that."  
  
  
  
He frowned. "We had near half a bottle." There was no real anger in his voice. It had faded to more of a concern.  
  
  
  
"It'll be fine, relax. I'll pick some more up at the store." she said quietly.  
  
  
  
/He found them,/ Schuldig thought worriedly to Brad.  
  
  
  
  
  
/I know. He won't do anything, it's okay./  
  
Schuldig curled himself into a tighter ball than he was all ready in and shuddered. He felt awful.  
  
  
  
/Sleep./  
  
  
  
/I'm not tired./  
  
  
  
/It'll be worse for you if you ride it awake, you know that./  
  
  
  
/I know./ He shuddered again and his eyes locked with his friend's dark blue ones. /But I can't sleep anymore./  
  
  
  
/I can block you from dreaming./  
  
  
  
/And the voices? And the pain? You can't block me from everything, Brad./  
  
  
  
Brad dropped his gaze to the floor. /I know./ he thought harshly. He stood and went to the broken window.  
  
  
  
Schuldig sat up and looked over the back of the sofa, towards his friend. He rested his chin against the cushions. /I need to figure this out,/ he thought to his friend quietly. /By myself. You won't always be there to watch over me. I have to be ready to take care of myself then./  
  
  
  
Brad did not reply. He already knew. He pushed some of the glass away with his foot, and headed for one of the bedrooms Julia had told them they could have.  
  
  
  
Schuldig's eyes seemed to focus on the floor and several strands of green-blond hair fell in his eyes. He looked up to see Adrian standing next to him, a neutral look on his face.  
  
  
  
The doorbell rang and Julia went to answer it. She sighed inside. They were growing up too fast. Much too fast.  
  
Adrian smiled slightly, reaching down and putting a hand on the young German's head. Quiet apology. Quiet warning to be careful. 


	20. Beginning of Life

Chapter Twenty: Beginning of Life  
  
  
  
Schuldig woke the next morning on the couch. He yawned and stretched. "It's too early to be up..." he mumbled.  
  
Julia leaned over him. "Well you better get a move on anyway, darling, Crawford's been up and ready for an hour."  
  
Brad leaned against the wall that attached the living room to the kitchen. He was wearing a cream colored suit and a blue dress shirt. He was drinking what smelled like coffee. "Rise and shine, Schuldig."  
  
The German glared, then frowned. "Am I going to have to wear a suit?"  
  
"I didn't bother picking one out for you because I knew you wouldn't wear it. I got you slacks a shirt and a blazer." Julia replied from the kitchen.  
  
Schuldig nodded approvingly. "That I will wear," he answered as he stretched.  
  
Nagi appeared in a blue uniform looking outfit. "Morning." he said quietly.  
  
"ADRIAN!" Julia shouted. "GET OUT OF BED, YOU BUM!" she shouted. "Morning!" she greeted Nagi. Brad nodded his acknowledgement.  
  
"Morning, chibi!" Schuldig greeted.  
  
The boy glared at the German.  
  
"You want cereal or pancakes or something, kiddo?" Julia asked. "The meeting isn't until eleven."  
  
"Then why am I up?" Schuldig groaned as he flopped back onto the couch.  
  
"Because you have to be ready." Brad said sipping his coffee. "On time."  
  
Schuldig gave him a lopsided grin. "Fine, fine."  
  
"I'll make sausage and pancakes...that should get him up..." Julia murmured pulling things out of their cabinets.  
  
A muffled growl came from Adrian's sleeping quarter. "He's less of a morning person than I am," the golden-eyed teen commented.  
  
"He's less of a people person than you are..." Julia muttered dryly.  
  
"Anyone's more of a people person than he is."  
  
Julia grinned. "Give Crawford a few years. He'll work on it."  
  
Schuldig stood back up and walked into the room Adrian had been sleeping in. Quiet passed for a moment until he walked back in, looking smug. "He's up."  
  
Julia and Brad exchanged glances. She held up a hand. "I don't even want to know..."  
  
Schuldig simply smirked.  
  
Adrian appeared, dressed except for his jacket and tie. He looked slightly disgruntled but made no comment as he made his way to the coffeepot.  
  
Schuldig grinned in his general direction. "Anyway..." he said conversationally.  
  
Brad chuckled low in his throat and shook his head as he drained the rest of the coffee in his mug. "Don't try anything like that at the meeting, ne?" Even Nagi grinned a little. Julia handed her lover a plate and shooed him to the table. "Come on guys, eat." she said.  
  
"Aww... No mind tricks on this Takatori guy?" Schuldig complained.  
  
Julia looked at him seriously. "No. You can't blow this with a game, Schuldig. Not this meeting."  
  
"I was just kidding."  
  
"Seriously, don't though. It'll cause you more trouble than you can handle."  
  
"I can handle any trouble."  
  
"Keep him out of trouble, would you?" she said to Crawford.  
  
"It's what I live for." he replied.  
  
Schuldig grinned.  
  
"We should leave in a few minutes. We aren't far, but morning traffic will be bad."  
  
Julia straightened her black skirt and grabbed Adrian's tie from off the back of one of the kitchen chairs. She pulled it around his neck. "Twenty four years old and you still can't tie a tie...oi.."  
  
He grinned at her. "Why would I when I have you to do it for me?"  
  
She grinned back. "Cocky, aren't you?"  
  
He wrapped his arms around her. "Haven't I always been?"  
  
"Of course. Why do you think I put up with you?" She kissed him before tying the knot in his tie."  
  
Schuldig reentered the room and grinned slyly at them. /Kawaii./  
  
/It's funny, isn't it? They're complete opposites. His dark features and her light ones./ Brad replied, sipping his second cup of coffee.  
  
/Kawaii is not a way I would describe us, kid,/ Adrian's thoughts entered the young telepath's mind.  
  
He lifted his eyebrows in slight annoyance. /Stay out of my head./  
  
/You should talk,/ Brad told the German.  
  
/I mostly stay out of others. When I have a choice./  
  
Brad smiled behind his coffee cup. Nagi put his plate in the sink and disappeared to brush his teeth. Julia finished straightening Adrian's tie and stepped back.  
  
"You need help with yours, Crawford?" she asked.  
  
"I think I can manage."  
  
"Wouldn't want Adrian jealous," Schu quipped from his spot on the couch.  
  
Julia grinned. "Sure I do. Keeps him in line, don't you know. Let me know if you need help." she said.  
  
The German telepath grinned at the glaring Asian. "Are you just trying to rile me up this morning?" the elder man asked.  
  
Julia swatted at him on her way to fix her makeup. "Don't stress him out." Brad headed towards the back to get his tie.  
  
"Him or me?" Adrian asked in a low tone.  
  
She turned at the end of the hall and bit her lip in an alluring manner. "Careful, boy." she murmured.  
  
"I'm always careful," Adrian said quietly.  
  
Fifteen minutes and Brad's tie later, they were ready to head to Takatori's headquarters.  
  
The car pulled up in front of the office and Schuldig turned his golden eyes toward Brad.  
  
The American looked at him.  
  
/We'll be fine, right?/  
  
Brad's gaze flickered to the multistory building above them before returning to the golden gaze. /We'll be fine./  
  
Schuldig nodded and watched as the elder stepped out of the car. /To the ends of the earth./  
  
/And back./ Brad stood by the car and waited for him.  
  
/And back./  
  
  
  
Author's notes: This is the last chapter of If I Am Gifted. Chase and I didn't get around to them recruiting Farfarello, sorry to all you Farf fans out there. We like 'im too, promise! Both of us are really happy everyone's liked it so much, and we appreciate your support and reviews. It keeps us writing. As always, enjoy! And comments, questions, (even flames) are welcome at starchaser478@hotmail.com. You can reach Chase there too. Thanks!!!! 


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